West Ham United are now aware of the minimum amount of money they will have to spend to bring key target Joao Palhinha to the London Stadium this summer, Dean Jones has revealed to GIVEMESPORT.
The Hammers are keen to quickly replace the recently departed Declan Rice, with Palhinha believed to be the ideal fit.
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West Ham United transfer news – Joao Palhinha
Having pocketed £100m on the back of Rice’s sale to Arsenal, West Ham now face a dilemma over how to spend the cash.
One glaring void in their squad that needs to be addressed is the hole left by Rice, with the east Londoners targeting a midfield anchor.
It is suggested that the Hammers see Palhinha as their top target this summer and have even rejected a bid for the Fulham man.
According to The Athletic, West Ham submitted a £45m offer to their London rivals, which was laughed off by the Fulham hierarchy.
Fulham, according to the report, remain determined to keep Palhinha, who has previously been called “sensational”, at the club for the upcoming 2023/24 season and would only be willing to sell if a suitable offer arrived in their inbox.
And now, with the new campaign around the corner, West Ham have been told what kind of price they will have to pay, if they are to seal the Palhinha deal in the coming weeks.
What has Dean Jones said about West Ham and Palhinha?
When asked during an interview about the latest update on Palhinha at West Ham, Jones admitted that the Hammers were still making an effort to reach a deal with Fulham.
Of the 28-year-old, Jones said: “Fulham absolutely don’t want to lose him. He’s probably the best of the bunch if I’m honest.
“That’s in terms of what you’re getting straight out of the can and especially on the pitch, Palhinha is the best you can hope for.
“But you’re looking at at least £60m and I don’t think they intend to put that much of Rice’s money into one player.”
What’s next for West Ham?
Palhinha isn’t the only big-name star West Ham have this summer, with reports suggesting the capital club also have Manchester United’s Harry Maguire on their radar.
That’s according to Sky Sports, who claim Maguire is currently considering his options having been stripped of the United captaincy earlier this week.
Reporter Paul Brown told GIVEMESPORT that David Moyes’ side were “definitely interested” in bringing the England international to the London Stadium but could be put off by the asking price.
According to The Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils are holding out a £50m fee for Maguire, who still has two years left on his current contract.
Elsewhere, West Ham are also interested in Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse as the Hammers look to seal a cut-price deal with the Championship side.
The Daily Mail reports that West Ham are preparing a £20m bid, although it falls short of Southampton’s rumored £40m valuation.
Source: West Ham could now make big decision on £60m Rice replacement at London Stadium
