West Ham ‘can’t resist move’ for £40m ‘beast’ at London Stadium

West Ham United “can’t resist” attempting to sign a Declan Rice replacement at the London Stadium this summer, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT.

David Moyes hopes to reinvest in his squad following the Irons captain’s departure.

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Last weekend, Rice’s transfer from West Ham to Arsenal was confirmed, with the Hammers raking in a club-record income of £100m + £5m in return for the 24-year-old midfielder.

The Gunners had long been admirers of the England international, and a deal had been in place for some time.

Having generated an initial £100m from the sale, West Ham can afford to target several luxury replacements for their midfield talisman.

According to talkSPORT, West Ham are in talks with Fulham over a potential move for Joao Palhinha, who only arrived at Craven Cottage last summer.

The Irons hoped to prise the Portugal international away for £40m, despite claims of a £90m price tag quoted last month, however, this offer has now been rejected by Marco Silva’s side.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has recently told GIVEMESPORT that Palhinha’s future could be dictated by the player’s demands, as the Cottagers aim to keep hold of the 28-year-old.

And Jones claims that Palhinha has the “experience and traits”, making him a “great purchase” for West Ham.

What has Jones said about West Ham and Palhinha?

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “Fulham face a fresh battle in the transfer market this week as West Ham are going to make an approach for Joao Palhinha now that they have the Declan Rice move completed.

“This is a scary time at the Cottage as they’ve just been fending off offers for star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. Mitrovic and Palhinha are their best two players. This is a very important moment for the club to manage.

“There were stories that Palhinha is valued at £90m, and they are indeed going to set the bar high. But the real price he can leave for will be a bit lower than that.

“West Ham understand Fulham’s position here. They’ve just lost a player they didn’t want to lose and realise that this is Fulham’s version of Declan Rice in that sense. But they also believe every player has a price, so want to understand if it is possible.

“He’s not the only midfielder West Ham are looking at, and deals for Edson Alvarez and Denis Zakaria are cheaper and easier to complete. They also have new names they are putting the feelers out for in the next few days.

“But Palhinha has the experience and traits that make him a great purchase, so they can’t resist giving this a try.”

Who else could West Ham sign this summer?

Palhinha, once dubbed a “beast” by journalist Clyde Tlou, is not the only target West Ham are aiming to land following the windfall they have received from the Rice deal.

Sheth has claimed to GIVEMESPORT that work behind the scenes to replace Rice had already started last week at the London Stadium, indicating that several arrivals could be imminent.

And journalist Ben Jacobs has recently told GIVEMESPORT that the Irons could seriously look at moving for Leeds United and USA midfielder Tyler Adams after the Daily Mail claimed the east London outfit could offer the 24-year-old a route back into the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Sport BILD journalist Christian Falk has told GMS that West Ham are back in the race to sign Ajax and Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez after Borussia Dortmund dropped out of the race for his signature.