West Ham United have finally woken up and opened talks with Manchester United to end a transfer saga that has developed.
There’s a reason West Ham and Manchester United want to get business done as early as possible in the summer window.
Because both the Hammers and Man United are undertaking pretty substantial rebuilds.
That actually put West Ham and the Red Devils on a collision course last week.
Because the focus of Manchester United’s rebuild started to centre around West Ham star Edson Alvarez.
Man United boss Erik ten Hag allegedly wants a reunion with the Mexican midfielder he managed at Ajax.
It’s easy to see why, Alvarez was a fundamental player for the Hammers last season after arriving for a bargain £34m.
But the Manchester United rumours caused ripples of concern among West Ham fans after it was recently reported Alvarez wants to leave due to the club’s failure to qualify for Europe.
West Ham and Man United working on rebuilds
That is something Manchester United managed by winning the FA Cup of course.
Alvarez was coy on the speculation when it was put to him in a pre-Copa America press conference last weekend.
Disaster then struck when El Machin was injured in Mexico’s opening game. The hamstring tear – said to be 6cm long – is a grade two and will keep him out for up to six weeks.
Talk of a move to Man United has dampened since.
Just as that has subsided, though, speculation over a Hammers approach for Old Trafford right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka has reignited. And that may not be by coincidence.
West Ham finally wake up and open talks with Man United to end a long running transfer saga.
One area West Ham are reportedly looking to strengthen is at right-back.
With Ben Johnson set to sign for Ipswich Town on a free transfer, that now becomes a necessity for Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham open talks with Man United to end transfer saga
The Hammers have been heavily linked with a host of full-backs in the last year, none more so than Wan-Bissaka.
The 26-year-old signed for Man United for £50m but is now set to leave for around £10-15m.
Regarded as one of the best defensive full-backs in the Premier League, that would represent a steal for the Hammers, who have been linked with the one-on-one specialist in each of the last three transfer windows.
Interestingly from West Ham’s perspective, the main club that were previously said to be competing with West Ham for Wan-Bissaka – as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano at the time – was Wolves – then managed by Lopetegui.
The right-back is a client of Will Salthouse, who is close with West Ham majority owner David Sullivan and his sons.
So Hammers supporters were shocked when it emerged earlier this week that Wan-Bissaka was in talks to join Galatasaray.
Hammers News called on West Ham to wake up and pick up the phone to Manchester United.
And thankfully it appears the club have now done just that.
West Ham finally wake up and make Wan-Bissaka move
According to The Times West Ham now want to sign Wan-Bissaka.
Journalist Gary Jacob West Ham have ‘revived their interest’ in the Man United defender.
He also states that Wan-Bissaka’s versatility appeals to West Ham.
That very much tallies with comments from technical director Tim Steidten after the capture of Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme.
The German said West Ham are targeting players with the flexibility to play across other positions because it ‘is an important and valuable factor in the modern game’.
West Ham fans will be hoping the club has not left it too late to get involved in this deal.
The explanation for that could well be linked to the interest from Old Trafford in Alvarez.
Perhaps West Ham felt an approach for a Man United player at that time would lead to unwelcome conversations about the Mexican star.
Man United have since switched targets to Amadou Onana, suggesting Steidten can now look to bid for Wan-Bissaka without that threat hanging over his head.