West Ham might be on the verge of one of the coups of the January transfer window.
Earlier in the month it emerged that West Ham were interested in signing Marcus Rashford on loan. The England international has seemingly fallen out with new Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim and is close to securing a move away from his boyhood club.
It was believed the Hammers’ chances of tempting Rashford to London Stadium were slim, not least because of his £350k-a-week salary.
However, reports coming out of Spain suggest it might just be a match made in heaven.
That’s because Barcelona have reportedly missed a deadline given to them by Rashford himself to bring him to Camp Nou, according to El Nacional. It’s reported that in recent discussions, Rashford had told the La Liga giants that he wants to join West Ham instead.
It’s a revelation that has allegedly left Barcelona feeling betrayed.
It’s thought Rashford is keen to work with Graham Potter at West Ham. Potter has a reputation for good man-management and believes that taking care of players off the field leads to them being better on it.
Rashford and West Ham are the perfect match
How West Ham go about financing a deal involving Rashford is anyone’s guess at this stage. There is no way the club can afford to pay all of his wages and it’s unlikely Manchester United would be keen on paying much of his salary given the club’s recent admission that it’s losing £300m a year.
But if a deal can be struck, it certainly has the potential to be the perfect match for both parties. It also sparks memories of a few seasons ago when the Hammers loaned an out-of-favour Jesse Lingard in the January transfer window of 2021.
The Englishman went on to score nine goals in 16 games to help West Ham secure a top-six finish in the Premier League.
There are so many similarities between Lingard’s situation and Rashford’s.
Lingard felt unloved at Old Trafford and needed to leave and play regularly at a place he was valued. Him leaving his boyhood club and Manchester altogether, allowed him to flourish.
Rashford could follow in his footsteps by making a move to the capital and not only getting regular game time but removing himself from all the negativity surrounding him.
Time running out for West Ham
Rashford is one of many strikers being linked with the Hammers at the moment, but the club is running out of time if they’re to successfully bring in the right man to boost Potter’s attacking options.
It’s believed a deal for Ajax striker Brian Brobbey is close, although the two clubs are struggling to come to an agreement over the terms of the deal. The Dutch outfit want a loan with an obligation to buy, whereas the Hammers want to remove the obligation and only have the option.
It’s the reason a deal has reportedly stalled, despite reports suggesting Brobbey is already in London and waiting to do a medical.
With seven days of the transfer window remaining, West Ham really need to get a move on.
If it’s true that Rashford wants to join Potter at West Ham then they need to get to work, as it’s a deal that will likely involved a lot of negotiation and budgeting given the finances that will likely be involved.