Chelsea chief Todd Boehly could wreck a West Ham dream deal with Man City for Lucas Paqueta in the summer window.
West Ham are expected to sell Lucas Paqueta to Man City this summer if the case against him is concluded in his favour.
The Hammers, already well short on numbers, will then be under pressure to find a top quality replacement.
West Ham nearly had just that man in the building last summer but were beaten to the punch by Chelsea.
Hammers vice-chair Karren Brady revealed recently that she had agreed a deal with Man City for Cole Palmer.
But Chelsea swooped at the last minute and took the brilliant ace to Stamford Bridge instead. It has turned out to be one of – if not the – signings of the season.
And a rare success in the transfer market for Todd Boehly and his scattergun.
It is one of football’s worst kept secrets that Hammers talisman Paqueta almost joined Manchester City last summer.
West Ham and Man City deal football’s worst kept secret
A deal at Paqueta’s £85m release clause was all but agreed between the two clubs.
But it collapsed when betting accusations were made against the West Ham talisman, which he vehemently denies.
That investigation is still hanging over Paqueta and his people are said to be pushing for a conclusion so he can complete a move to Man City.
Transfer insider Graeme Bailey reported recently that Manchester City are more determined than ever to sign West Ham’s playmaker in the summer.
Replacing the Brazilian magnifico will not be easy for the Hammers.
But many West Ham fans had started to see Jack Grealish coming the other way as the answer and an increasing possibility.
West Ham are set to announce record £368m turnover in their next accounts. The Hammers also have the fourth best wages-to-turnover ratio in the Premier League.
That leaves the club well placed in terms of spending under new PSR rules this summer.
Boehly could wreck West Ham dream deal for Paqueta
On 3 Added Minutes, journalist Matthew Gregory suggested West Ham and Man City could and should do a swap deal involving Paqueta and Grealish, Oscar Bobb or Jeremy Doku – the latter two being as potential loans – which might suit all parties.
Man City get their man in Paqueta while not having to part with a massive sum by offloading Grealish the other way.
Or they loan out Bobb or Doku, buying West Ham time over a Paqueta replacement and lowering the fee as a result.
Grealish is facing an increasingly uncertain future at Man City and is being heavily tipped to leave this summer.
And West Ham actually bid for Doku before Man City signed him last summer.
But Chelsea chief Boehly could wreck that West Ham dream deal with Man City for Paqueta.
Because according to reports Chelsea are ‘seriously considering’ a move for Grealish this summer.
Grealish to Chelsea kills trio of West Ham swap hopes
According to journalist Simon Phillips, Grealish is a player that Chelsea are discussing internally ahead of an official move ‘in the coming weeks’.
“The 28-year-old has been linked with a return to his former club Aston Villa in recent weeks, and due to his bit-part role at City, there is a belief in the industry that he will be available for transfer this summer and also, he is likely to be open to moving to another club where he will have a more important role,” Phillips said.
“Chelsea have good transfer relations with City and of course, have signed Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer from them in recent years, both at reasonable fees.”
If Grealish does indeed sign for Chelsea it will not only deny West Ham the chance to include him in any swap deal for Paqueta with Manchester City.
But it will also mean no chance of the suggested Doku or Bobb loan moves either for the Hammers as a result of Grealish’s departure.