A star touted to both West Ham and Manchester United by a super agent may have just let slip who he will be joining.
The revelation comes amid speculation Manchester United and West Ham are in a two-horse race to sign a 6ft 5in star.
Manchester United got one over on the Hammers in the Premier League Summer Series in the USA.
West Ham actually played well as they dominated the ball in a 2-1 defeat to Man United.
The Hammers went on to beat Everton and Bournemouth while Man United thrashed the Cherries and drew with the Toffees.
That meant Ruben Amorim – who held talks to become West Ham’s replacement for David Moyes last year – got his first “silverware” as Manchester United manager.
Hammers and Man United have mutual interest in trio
The real deal gets underway in less than two weeks, though, with West Ham going to Sunderland and Man United facing Arsenal.
Man United and the Hammers were among the biggest under-performers in Europe’s top leagues last season.
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Amorim and Graham Potter are under pressure to ensure that changes drastically.
Man United’s superior financial muscle has meant they’ve been able to go out and spend big on the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
West Ham are pleading poverty, though, and have had to be more thrifty in the transfer market, picking up talented young left wingback El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague and free agents Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson.
Both the Hammers and Manchester United are also on the hunt for a new goalkeeper as a priority.
Mads Hermansen during Leicester City Pre-Season Training
Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Andre Onana and Alphonse Areola simply have not convinced as number ones at Old Trafford and the London Stadium.
That has put the two clubs on a collision course over three potential signings.
Both the Irons and Manchester United have been linked with Leicester’s Mads Hermansen, Parma’s Zion Suzuki and Botafogo’s John Victor.
Former Denmark international Peter Kjaer recently told Tipsbladet that West Ham would be a more suitable destination than Manchester United for 25-year-old Hermansen.
Leicester are said to want over £20m for the Dane – a price tag that has so far put both clubs off.
Victor being touted to West Ham and Man United by super agent
Parma also want big money for Suzuki with reports they will not accept any less than £30m.
Now a star being touted to West Ham and Man United by a super agent may have let slip who he is joining.
With deals for Hermansen and Suzuki looking pricey, big-name agent Willie McKay has been pushing Victor to West Ham and the Red Devils, as exclusively revealed first by Hammers News.
Especially off the back of a superb Club World Cup.
Botafogo are owned by John Textor, who is being forced into a fire sale to help pay down massive debts at one of his other clubs, Lyon.
It means Victor, who is 29, is reportedly available for just £10m.
Goalkeeper John Victor of Botafogo warms up prior to Recopa
Photo by Manuel Cortina/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Having never been capped by the senior Brazil side, a journalist claims Victor is deserving of a big move to a team like West Ham or Man United.
The Hammers and Man United-linked ‘keeper had a shocker for Botafogo on Sunday as he literally threw the game away for his side in what was expected to be his last game.
Victor threw the ball straight to Cruzeiro who then scored as a direct result.
It has been claimed West Ham have leapfrogged Manchester United in the race for Victor – with a place in the starting XI arguably more likely at the London Stadium than Old Trafford.
The Hammers have reportedly seen bids of £6.5m and £8.5m knocked back but “expect” a third bid they have submitted of £9.5m to be accepted.
Reports from Globo in Brazil have also claimed Victor has given the green light on a move to West Ham while Botafogo are closing on his replacement, Neto from Bournemouth.
When a club the size of Man United are involved, though, West Ham cannot afford to count their chickens until they are hatched.
It is however looking increasingly likely the former Real Valladolid player is on his way to east London.
That’s if Victor’s social media activity is anything to go by.
Because the former Brazil youth international has started following both West Ham and their Brazilian star Lucas Paqueta on his Instagram account.
That is surely the biggest hint yet that Victor is on his way to West Ham and not Man United.
The towering goalkeeper does not actually follow the Red Devils on Instagram, adding further weight to the theory he is London-bound.
Many Hammers fans are underwhelmed by the potential signing, feeling the board are taking the cheap, short-sighted option instead of looking to the medium to long-term future by bringing in 25-year-old Hermansen or 22-year-old Suzuki.
Time will tell if it is the right call.
And anything can happen until the player is signed sealed and delivered with a West Ham shirt on, so don’t rule Man United out just yet.