West Ham were ‘quietly confident’ of ending their long search for a top young striker this summer but now the shadow of Man United looms large over the deal.
Hammers News exclusive
It is going to be all change up front for West Ham next season but Manchester United plan to overhaul their own forward line.
And that has put West Ham’s owners on a collision course with former managerial target Ruben Amorim.
Hammers News exclusively revealed yesterday that West Ham have made a big double striker decision.
Evan Ferguson joined the club on loan until the end of the season.
But the 20-year-old Irishman is unlikely to join permanently as Brighton want at least £60m.
Money is reportedly going to be tight for both Graham Potter and Amorim this summer.
West Ham have braced fans for £80m losses.
West Ham and Man United plot striker overhauls
Man United’s are said to be in the region of £300m.
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Player sales are planned at the London Stadium and Old Trafford.
With the top priority being to sign a new forward.
Danny Ings is being released by West Ham at the end of the season while ageing forward Niclas Fullkrug looks set to be sold.
Man United are considering trying to offload Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund in their own fundraising drive to bring in a striker Amorim wants.
One name that has been a topic of hot conversation in the West Ham boardroom – and household of majority owner David Sullivan – is Liam Delap.
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Sullivan’s sons want Delap at West Ham
Hammers News revealed Dave and Jack Sullivan won’t stop raving about Delap to their billionaire co-owner dad.
Sullivan’s sons are both on the board at West Ham, whose new head of recruitment, Kyle Macauley, will be targeting younger talent.
Delap certainly fits that profile and has impressed in the Premier League with Ipswich this season, scoring 10 goals and laying on two assists.
It is his all-round game which has impressed West Ham – and now it seems Man United too – the most, though.
The Times summed it up best when describing Tractor boy Delap as ‘unplayable’ and a forward who ‘bullies’ defenders.
West Ham’s new Amorim problem
West Ham have not had that since Marko Arnautovic. Man United arguably since the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Wayne Rooney.
When pressed about interest in Delap ahead of the January, West Ham stated they knew a sale would only be on the cards in the summer.
Most West Ham fans are in agreement with Sullivan’s sons that Delap would be a fantastic signing.
Hammers News understands the club have been privately confident they could seriously compete for Delap in the summer with Ipswich looking certain to be relegated.
While other Premier League clubs have registered an interest in Delap, West Ham have been the biggest in terms of those who would be able to offer the 22-year-old a guaranteed starting spot.
Manchester United have changed the landscape, though.
Photo by Copa/Getty Images
Photo by Copa/Getty Images
Man United plot to ruin £40m West Ham move for Delap
West Ham are planning on raising in excess of £100m through player sales this summer.
The club had set aside £40m of that to move for Delap.
That figure is not just plucked out of thin air. Man City have a £40m buyback clause on Delap. They are not expected to activate it, but it does essentially set the striker’s price accordingly.
Delap has been fleetingly linked with Man United in recent months.
But now a top agent source has told Hammers News that West Ham’s hopes might be dashed.
“The club have felt all along that they might be able to get Delap done if they went early in the summer,” the agent source close to West Ham told Hammers News.
Man United Europa League triumph could end West Ham’s hopes
“If you look around the league, there aren’t many clubs bigger than West Ham, who are looking for a new striker, where Delap would be starting every week.
“Sullivan’s sons really do love him. The problem is so does the manager they had talks with last year. And, like West Ham, Manchester United can make a case to Delap that he would start every game for them.
“That takes away West Ham’s unique selling point in a way. It could then come down to the player’s preference – does he fancy a move to London or a return to Manchester?
“If Man United somehow salvage their season by winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League, I have to be honest that would most likely be the death knell for West Ham’s chances.”
West Ham’s hopes are not dead yet. But Man United’s serious interest complicates things.
The Hammers will now be watching how Amorim’s side get on in Europe having progressed to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate win over Nayef Aguerd’s Real Sociedad last night.