Improving the midfield is, as we know, a key [West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-hams-good-news-starts-to-flow/) mission for the coming transfer window. Links appear as the 1st June starting gun draws nearer, midfielders from Club Brugge’s trio of **Ardon Ashari, Joel Ordonez,** and **Raphael Onyedika,** through Sunderland’s **Chris Rigg** and **Jobe Bellingham,** Burnley’s **Josh Brownhill** – hmm- to name just a few- the numbers grow.
The good news is that all of those named have a fresh, more pacy and more exciting flavour than West Ham’s tried, found wanting and soon-to-be-dismantled list of midfield incumbents- “_Rodriguez, Alvarez, Soucek, Ward-Prowse and Soler._”
Yesterdays stories link Aston Villa’s **Jacob Ramsey** with a move owing to impending Villa PSR issues thanks to missing out on Champions League money. Last season Villa had to offload players sharpish before the June 30th deadline which is how West Ham came to discuss- and fail to land – Jhon Duran. Whilst there may be a brief ‘window’ to pick up Ramsey at a claimed £30 million price tag in order to balance Aston Villa’s books he’s already talked of as a top-tier player who’ll head to a top six side.
[Dailymail.co.uk](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14752777/Aston-Villa-transfer-news-summer-briefing-PSR.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_dailymailsport) details the very real dangers Villa face and the opportunities present for predatory clubs to pick over. They also claim Arsenal and other top six clubs – if we still call them that – are circling. Unlikely that West Ham’s meagre budget will enable them to land Ramsey and you’d imagine he’ll slot straight into a European-qualified side.
Interesting yesterday that Man City are reported as close to signing their own midfield upgrade in **Tijjani Reijnders** who cancelled his holiday to be ready ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup finals. City’s young talent – _and West Ham target_ – **James McAtee** can surely read the writing on the wall now with players coming in ahead of him: He needs to get out to get on.
Much more ‘West Ham’ suited with a twenty-something million price tag, McAtee may be the understated option if the Hammers can lure him south.