West Ham make £12m bid for ‘composer’ and ‘incredible’ set piece threat, reply given

West Ham have made a £12 million bid to signal a ‘composer’ and ‘unbelievable’ from set items, with the Hammers additionally getting a reply to the provide, in keeping with Jacob Steinberg.

It has been a busy week for the Hammers, who confirmed Lucas Paqueta’s £36.5 million departure to Flamengo while finishing the cut price signing of Adama Traoré from Fulham, as Nuno Espírito Santo reshapes his relegation-threatened squad heading into deadline day.

Flamengo introduced on Friday night they’ve signed Paqueta on a contract till December 2030, with the Brazilian changing into the most costly signing in his nation’s historical past.

West Ham reluctantly sanctioned the switch after the 28-year-old requested permission to return residence for private and household causes following his clearance from spot-fixing prices final summer time.

Paqueta departs after contributing 23 objectives and 15 assists throughout 139 appearances since arriving from Lyon for a club-record £51 million in 2022.

Amid this high-profile and long-winded exit, West Ham moved rapidly so as to add one other attacking reinforcement, with West Ham finishing Traore’s everlasting signing from Fulham for an preliminary £1 million.

The 30-year-old reunites with Nuno having spent three very productive seasons collectively at Wolves, and the Irons boss was left completely delighted after snapping up his former star.

“I do know him. I do know him very effectively,” Nuno defined.

“I labored with him for a few years and I do know him that’s why I stated he’s distinctive. There aren’t many gamers along with his talents. There aren’t many gamers along with his velocity. And I feel he’ll give us many issues that we’d like.”

In the meantime, West Ham’s defensive recruitment has confronted frustration, with talks for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi seemingly not as superior as some claimed.

The east Londoners have since turned their consideration to Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis in its place, however they have not had a lot luck there both.

West Ham get reply after £12 million bid for Taylor Harwood-Bellis

In line with The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg, West Ham have seen a £12 million bid for Harwood-Bellis knocked again, with the previous Man Metropolis gem staying put for now.

The 24-year-old, who has began all 17 of Southampton’s final Championship matches, is a mainstay for Tonda Eckert proper now and an undroppable member of their beginning eleven.

The Saints, regardless of sitting fifteenth within the desk, may very well be outdoors contenders for the play-offs — sitting eight factors behind sixth-placed Derby County — in what’s a really tight battle for spots at Wembley later this yr.

Southampton positively will not be eager on dropping Harwood-Bellis mid-season in consequence, and it might take a mammoth bid to persuade Eckert’s facet to half methods.

The jury is out on whether or not the Englishman could be value a big-money punt, however Harwood-Bellis is a participant who Pep Guardiola has beforehand held in very excessive esteem.

“I’m so pleased for him as a result of he’s a stunning man,” stated Guardiola concerning the defender in 2024.

“He’s an unbelievable risk for Southampton from set items and a composer after they have the ball as a result of the supervisor insists the way in which they need to play, they need to be shut, to maneuver otherwise.”