West Ham have had a setback in their pursuit to land summer deals for Lille duo Jonathan David and Angel Gomes.
The Hammers have had their eye on the pair for a number of weeks now, with Graham Potter identifying both the striker and central midfield positions as areas in need of strengthening.
The players are both out of contract in the summer and have impressed for the French side since joining in 2020.
David, who currently has 23 goals and 10 assists to his name this season, has had interest from several clubs across Europe.
The Canadian striker has recently made clear how Barcelona is a “dream” destination for him, and it is reported that the Spanish champions could act on this in the summer.
David has scored seven goals for Lille in the Champions League this season, so it feels quite likely that the striker will want a move to a side where he is guaranteed to have more Champions League football next season, something West Ham cannot offer.
West Ham lose Gomes interest following Spurs competition
TBR Football have reported that West Ham have pulled out in their pursuit to sign David’s teammate, Angel Gomes.
West Ham are said to have made an offer to sign the player on a free for the summer, but the club are yet to receive a response.
Since this, West Ham have faced fierce competition to sign the 24-year-old from numerous other clubs, one of which includes their London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
The deep-lying playmaker has had four caps for England following a successful few years at Lille after being signed from Man United five years ago.
Due to this, the Hammers are stepping away from the race to sign the midfielder as it’s believed David Sullivan doesn’t want the club’s offer to be used as a “negotiating tool” with other clubs.
Both setbacks will be a blow for Potter who will be looking to execute something of a rebuild in the summer following what’s been a disappointing campaign, and he may now have to explore other cost-effective options in a window where West Ham are expected to need to sell to buy.