West Ham United have taken the lead in the race to sign Middlesbrough’s top star and will immediately aim to deal a big blow to one of their promotion rivals.
West Ham on the hunt for Championship star
It is likely to be a tough summer for West Ham for all the wrong reasons. Relegation to the Championship could lead to mass departures, including both Matheus Fernandes and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Both players have been linked with a return to the Premier League, but it is Fernandes who has garnered the most attention. The Portuguese midfielder has found himself attracting the attention of Manchester United, who are said to have to pay a whopping £85m to secure his signature. However, it remains to be seen how long that asking price will hold up in the championship.
Meanwhile, amid rumors of his departure, the Hammers are setting their sights on their own reinforcements. Those at the London Stadium are reportedly targeting Brazil international Leo Pereira and Swansea City goalscorer Zan Vipotnik.
The latter would be a particularly smart addition given his prowess in the Championship, and with West Ham also set their sights on promotion rivals, this is likely to be one of their top transfer plans this summer.
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West Ham take pole position and sign defender
West Ham are in pole position to sign Dal Fry from Middlesbrough this summer and are “moving towards a deal”, SportsBoom reports.
The Teesside club are urging the defender to sign a new contract rather than leaving as a free agent later this month, but that may not be enough given the play-off heartbreak.
Instead, promotion rivals West Ham could swoop in to acquire a key part of their Premier League pursuits. This will be a huge blow to everyone involved at Boro, who have suffered two play-off heartaches in the space of a few weeks after Southampton’s Spygate.
In terms of quality, it’s easy to see why West Ham, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United are interested in signing Fry on a free contract. The central defender, who was described as an “outstanding player” by Chris Wilder during his time at the club, has continued to develop since then and is sure to win promotion and has the qualities to impress in the top flight.
However, it remains to be seen whether it will be at West Ham, Boro or another team.
Read next: Fabrizio Romano confirms ‘important’ update on Fernandes from West Ham
Fabrizio Romano confirms ‘important’ Matheus Fernandes update from West Ham
The Portuguese player remains in demand even after his relegation.
