Although the latest West Ham transfer news circling the club has largely revolved around the imminent exit of Declan Rice, mutterings of a potential swap deal with Arsenal have begun to surface.
West Ham Transfer News
Any deal involving Declan Rice, who is widely expected to leave West Ham this summer in search of Champions League football and regular silverware, may well turn out to be the largest piece of business in the upcoming window.
The club’s own estimation of £120 million is perhaps a bloated figure, but expect a tug of war between the Premier League‘s high rollers for his signature.
Arsenal, who have identified the Hammers captain as their top priority when the window opens next month, are believed to be best positioned when negotiations get underway, while long-time admirers Chelsea, as well as both Manchester clubs, have also expressed genuine interest.
The lure of Champions League football and the opportunity to blossom among Mikel Arteta’s budding young title challengers may well prove to be too tempting, particularly if recent reports of a cash-plus-player swap deal are to be believed.
According to Arsenal and transfer expert Steve Kay, Florian Balogun could be used as a makeweight to sway the deal in their favour.
The 21-year-old Hale End graduate has flourished while out on loan at Stade Reims this season, rivalling Ligue 1′s top scorers after firing in 20 goals so far – just eight behind Kylian Mbappe.
The Gunners are expected to trim their squad in order to create a surplus in their budget, and Balogun is strongly rumoured to be among those likely heading for the exit, particularly given his rapidly increasing stock.
Although AC Milan hold concrete interest, reports suggest that West Ham may try their luck at asking for Balogun to be included in any deal that may see Declan Rice go the other way, or perhaps at a cut price, even if it isn’t necessarily part of the same agreement.
Both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are currently above him in the pecking order, meaning his departure appears to be a foregone conclusion.
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