West Ham close in on first summer signing, Nuno’s transfer strategy is clear – report
West Ham are closing in on the capture of Middlesbrough centre-back Dael Fry this summer.
The 28-year-old has made 300 appearances for Boro since making his debut in 2015.
Fry’s Riverside Stadium contract is due to expire at the end of June, and while the club has confirmed they are in negotiations over fresh terms, it’s claimed the player is yet to commit amid interest from elsewhere in the Championship.
According to SportsBoom, West Ham are joined by Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Sheffield United in their interest in Fry.
The Hammers reportedly have the financial advantage in the race for his signature, though, with the ability to offer him a far more lucrative deal than Boro and the other interested clubs.
SportsBoom claim negotiations between Fry and West Ham are progressing towards an agreement, although there is still a chance the defender will opt to remain at his boyhood club.
Middlesbrough want to keep Fry at the club but it’s claimed negotiations are complicated because Fry wants to become one of the highest paid players at the club.
West Ham’s transfer strategy is becoming clearer
Since relegation to the Championship was confirmed last month, much of the transfer talk surrounding West Ham has been about the players likely to leave London Stadium.
Mateus Fernandes is most likely to leave, with Man United and PSG reportedly courting his signature, while recent reports are also linking the French giants with Crysencio Summerville.
The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Taty Castellanos, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Callum Wilson, Pablo and Jean-Clair Todibo have all been linked with moves away this summer.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has a job on his hands to rebuild his squad for the season starts in August, then, and recent rumours involving potential incomings are shaping a very clear picture of what the strategy to do that is.
Alongside Fry, several other top Championship performers have been mentioned as possible Hammers targets.
Swansea City striker Zan Vipotnik, who bagged the Championship golden boot last season with 23 goals, is one player on Nuno’s radar, while the likes of Hayden Hackney, Ben Wilmot, Ethan Galbraith, Dylan Lawlor, Sydie Peck, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and James Bree have also been linked with West Ham in recent weeks.
It points to a very clear strategy for West Ham; target the best players in the division and build a squad with a healthy mix of top-flight and Championship experience, which will be good enough to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Championship is one of the most competitive divisions in world football and is notoriously very difficult to get out of when you’re in it, so it makes perfect sense to seek players with experience of playing at that level, but who also have enough potential to make the step up to the Premier League once promotion is secured.
By cherry-picking the Championship’s best players, you also weaken your promotion rivals in the process, which is no doubt also a key element of the strategy taking place.
