Hammers and Villa eye £69m attacker as Man Utd plot bargain raid
All the latest Premier League transfer news, including updates from West Ham, Man Utd and Newcastle
According to Portuguese outlet Record, both West Ham United and Aston Villa are interested in signing Pedro Gonçalves from Sporting CP.
The attacker has a release clause of around £68.9m written into his contract and has been in fine form this term, registering 18 goals and 16 assists in 44 games.
To make matters more intriguing, West Ham continue to be linked with a potential move for Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, who has established a strong working relationship with Gonçalves during their shared time in Portugal.
The 3AM Verdict: Gonçalves is a player who continues to go from strength to strength in Portugal. The Amorim factor could be a huge influence on how this pans out and, if the Hammers could somehow land him and his attacker, that would represent a considerable double coup.
Elsewhere, Manchester United are understood to be considering a swoop for Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi. According to Claro Sports, the Colombian has ‘captured the attention’ of the Red Devils, as well as a number of European heavyweights.
It is suggested that United are preparing to go toe-to-toe with Juventus and Atletico Madrid for the 25-year-old in the summer. It is Atletico who are said to be leading the hunt for Lucumi, with the Spanish club readying an initial proposal of £11.2m.
The 3AM Verdict: Lucumi is a fine player and, with United’s obvious need for defensive reinforcements this summer, it could be a savvy signing – especially if he is available for as little as £11m.
Finally, Newcastle United have reportedly ‘registered an interest’ in signing France international Adrien Rabiot. According to Fichajes, the Magpies are in the market for midfielders and are keeping tabs on the 29-year-old ahead of a potential swoop.
The 3AM Verdict: Barely a window goes by where Rabiot isn’t linked with some Premier League side or other. Whether he ends up in England or not remains to be seen. Stranger things have happened, but we have been here multiple times before.
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