Southampton have told West Ham to pay £18m for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, according to reports.
The Hammers have had a bid rejected by the Saints for the 24-year-old. It was initially claimed that the offer was worth £12.5m, but TEAMtalk say it was a loan with a £10m option to buy.
From the sound of things, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side may have to almost double their opening proposal in order to secure the signature of Harwood-Bellis.
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There is not a lot of time remaining to negotiate a deal, with the transfer window set to close on Monday evening at 7 PM.
Why is Harwood-Bellis being targeted?
It was originally reported that West Ham were closing in on a move for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, but it has since transpired that AC Milan have entered the battle to snap up the Frenchman.
The player’s preference is believed to be the Serie A side, so it does appear as if the Irons have had to switch their focus to Harwood-Bellis.
Unlike Disasi, which would have been a straightforward loan, the Southampton player will cost significantly more to sign.
Are West Ham looking to sign anyone else?
TEAMtalk report that attempts are also being made to bring in a new goalkeeper. There was some interest in Manchester City’s Stefan Ortega, but he is now expected to join Nottingham Forest until the end of the season.
Tottenham’s Antonin Kinsky remains of interest, with the Czech international having already given his approval to the switch. However, Spurs are refusing to let him leave until they can find a suitable replacement, and there are no guarantees they will get one by Monday night. It’s possible that another keeper will be pursued before the deadline.
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