There has been a major West Ham breakthrough in talks with Aston Villa over a deal and the club also has new Jean-Clair Todibo hope.
West Ham have been both trying to sign a player from and competing with Aston Villa in the transfer window so far.
The Hammers have confirmed that a striker is the key focus right now.
But the top source inside the club told Hammers News West Ham will not pay Aston Villa’s £35m asking price for Jhon Duran.
West Ham revealed Villa’s frustrated 20-year-old Colombian star Duran is ‘one of many’ forwards technical director Tim Steidten and head coach Julen Lopetegui are looking at.
The Hammers also want to sign another centre-back to partner Max Kilman. Both they and Aston Villa have been heavily linked with Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
West Ham baulked at Villa asking price for Duran
Todibo, 24, has been targeted by the Irons and Villa since a move to Man United was blocked by UEFA due to strict multi-club ownership rules given the involvement of INEOS at Man United and Nice.
A host of other strikers have been linked with West Ham after Hammers News revealed they won’t meet Villa’s lofty valuation for such a young, unproven player.
It looked like West Ham had beaten Aston Villa to Todibo yesterday when it was claimed by several top sources that a deal had been agreed on a loan with an obligation to buy.
But the French centre-half made it clear he only wants to join Juventus – with Nice waiting for them to match West Ham’s offer.
It seems there have been some big developments overnight, though, regarding both players.
It is claimed there has been a major West Ham breakthrough in talks with Aston Villa and the Hammers also have new Todibo hope.
Major West Ham breakthrough in talks with Villa
According to transfer reporter Graeme Bailey, Duran and Villa have come to an agreement to help sell him with West Ham still ‘very interested’.
Bailey claims Villa are now willing to negotiate a lower fee with significant add-ons.
“With Duran wanting to leave Villa Park and the club also eager to offload him, there is a belief that Villa would allow significant add-ons as part of the deal’s structure,” Bailey confirmed to Hammers News after breaking the story on HITC.
“There is now a belief that Villa will consider bids lower than £40million provided that the offer includes significant add-ons.”
In a second transfer boost, West Ham have been given hope that Todibo may yet arrive – from Italy.
Hammers get new Todibo hope
Because journalist Gianluca Di Marzio claims Juve have signed Hellas Verona defender Juan Cabal from Inter Milan instead.
Juve were reeling at missing out on Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal, hence the interest in West Ham target Todibo.
But the likes of Football Italia claim Cabal is Juve’s Plan B after missing out on Calafiori because he can play at centre back and left-back when needed.
That suggests West Ham now have fresh hope of bringing Todibo to east London after all.
“Juventus has finalized the operation with Verona in these hours,” Di Marzio said last night.
“Total agreement between the club and between Juventus and the player. The medical visits will be in the next few hours, and to be precise they should take place on Thursday 18 July.”
So could West Ham fans see the striker and centre-back signings made next in the shape of Villa’s Duran and Todibo?
If so then Steidten and Lopetegui are assembling a very impressive young side indeed.
The Todibo news is particularly welcome because it emerged yesterday that Villa are now trying to beat the Hammers to their Todibo back-up plan.
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