West Ham United are now battling a rival Premier League club for the signature of a goal-scoring midfielder, according to a report.
Hammers set sights on midfield rebuild
West Ham signed off the season with a 3-1 victory over Ipswich Town, but in truth the 2024-25 campaign was very underwhelming, finishing in just 14th place, and Graham Potter may feel that his squad needs major surgery in the summer transfer window.
Potter has now brought in Kyle Macaulay as his head of recruitment, who the manager worked with at Brighton, and the new arrival has wasted no time identifying potential targets, with a deal for a new midfielder now believed to be edging closer to completion.
Indeed, the Hammers have now reached an agreement for the signing of Club Brugge's Raphael Onyedika, with the Nigerian now in line to move to the London Stadium in a deal worth around £20m, but he is not the only midfielder they've set their sights on.
Raphael Onyedika
According to a report from Claret & Hugh, West Ham are now in a straight shoot-out with Everton for the signature of Burnley star Josh Brownhill, with former Irons boss David Moyes known to be a long-term admirer of the 29-year-old.
Brownhill is out of contract with the Clarets, meaning he will be available on a free transfer this summer, should his current employers be unable to tie him down to a new deal, although their pursuit of Rennes midfielder Jordan James suggests they're not holding out much hope.
Leeds United are also named as potential suitors for the midfielder, who certainly caught the eye with some of his performances for Burnley during their promotion-winning 2024-25 campaign.
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The Hammers are close to their first summer signing...
The Manchester-born midfielder was a key player for the Clarets, displaying his versatility by regularly featuring in both defensive and attacking midfield roles, but his performances on the front foot were particularly impressive.
In 42 Championship outings, the Englishman collected 24 goal contributions, picking up 18 goals and six assists, and he certainly stood out to commentator Phil Bird, who singled the Burnley star out for praise after scoring a brace against Millwall last month.
The fact a transfer fee will not be required could make signing the former Bristol City man an attractive proposition for West Ham, but there are doubts over whether he would be able to make a similar impact at the London Stadium.
Brownhill has 111 Premier League appearances to his name, during which time he has picked up just six goals and six assists, so while the maestro could be a good squad player for Potter, given his versatility, he is unlikely to take West Ham's midfield to the next level.