West Ham have been handed a massive boost in their chances of signing their top right-back target.
After a rollercoaster of negotiations that lasted several months, which saw the player change his mind on whether he was staying or going, Ben Johnson made a last minute decision to leave his boyhood club.
Following Johnson’s move to Ipswich on a free transfer, West Ham have had to add a right-back to their list of transfer targets this Summer.
While Kyle Walker-Peters is believed to be the Hammers’ number one option to replace him negotiations with Southampton haven’t exactly gone smoothly. They are absolutely desperate to sign Flynn Downes permanently following his successful loan spell on the South Coast, yet they somehow value the right-back at more than the midfielder despite him only having a year left on his contract.
Reports claim that the Saints are demanding £10 million in addition to Downes which is absolutely ridiculous no matter how you view it.
Understandably, the Irons have grown frustrated with how little progress has been made with talks but just as it looks like they could move on to other targets, the deal could be back on.
According to talkSPORT, Southampton have lined up a replacement for Walker-Peters in Yukinari Sugawara, a defender who they’d undoubtedly be signing as their first choice right-back. If this is the case then it would suggest that the club are expecting him to depart sooner rather than later.
Ultimately, it seems like there needs to be a domino effect for this deal to happen. Unless Flynn Downes future is decided for definite it’s unlikely that our Irons will be able to agree with Southampton on his true value, then that could eventually lead on to a straight swap or a fairer player plus cash deal.
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