da pixbet： West Ham United could sign "two new midfielders" this summer as they take on the impossible task of plugging the "Declan Rice gap" in the centre of the park, claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.
What is the latest West Ham transfer news?
da pinnacle： It has been a frustrating summer for the Hammers so far this year. The east Londoners have bought just a single player since the window opened, with Sean Moore joining from Northern Irish outfit Cliftonville for an undisclosed fee.
Their lack of action has not been through lack of trying, however, as the Irons have already lodged bids for several players, including Joao Palhinha, Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse.
The problem seems to be that in every one of those cases, the selling club have asked for dramatically more than West Ham are willing to pay – a potential consequence of the world knowing about their huge profit on Rice.
For example, The Athletic reported earlier this month that Fulham rejected the Irons' offer of £45m for 28-year-old Palhinha, with the Daily Mail reporting that the Cottagers are holding out for a fee of around £60m.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
That said, these setbacks in the market haven't stopped the Conference League champions from pushing on in their search for new midfielders, with the club hoping to potentially land at least two in the window, per Sky Sports' Sheth.
He explained the situation live on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), saying:
"Talks are continuing behind the scenes at West Ham, I'm told, about which midfielder to push for. We think that among the primary targets are Chelsea's Conor Gallagher; the Southampton captain, James Ward-Prowse; and Manchester United's Scott McTominay.
"We think that West Ham are looking to potentially recruit at least two new midfielders. It's not easy plugging that Declan Rice gap."
Who else has been linked with a move to West Ham?
While the midfield remains the priority for the Hammers this summer, the club have been linked to a host of other players, from attackers to defenders.
Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been one of the names most touted for a move to the London Stadium over the last few weeks.
The 30-year-old has had a miserable last couple of seasons for the Red Devils, so much so that he was stripped of the captaincy earlier this month and is now considered sellable.
According to Sky Sports, David Moyes is keen to bring the centre-back to east London on a permanent deal or season-long loan. However, the wages and fees involved are problematic, and no agreement has been reached.
If the club can work out a way to reduce the England international's £190,000-a-week wages or pay a share of them through a specific agreement, then it could be a brilliant deal.
Despite having a poor couple of years, the former Leicester City star still has solid underlying numbers and could potentially improve the level of the Irons' backline.
According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the Sheffield-born titan sits in the top 11% for blocks, the top 12% for aerial duels won, the top 13% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 17% for attempted passes and the top 19% for progressive carries per 90.
With just over a month left of the transfer window, the Hammers need to hurry up just a bit with identifying and signing the appropriate midfielders; otherwise, they could find themselves with insufficient time to bolster the rest of their squad.