West Ham eye Manchester United double swoop after selling Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m - Reports
West Ham United are plotting moves for Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay after selling Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105 million, according to Sky Sports.
The Hammers, who won the UEFA Europa Conference League last term, are yet to make an addition to their squad this summer. However, they are expected to step up their recruitment process in the coming days, having sold Rice to Arsenal for £100 million plus £5 million in add-ons.
Signing a replacement for Rice is at the top of West Ham's agenda and they have a number of targets in mind. Manchester United midfielder McTominay is among the players under consideration at the London Stadium, according to the aforementioned source.
McTominay, 26, has been on West Ham's radar for a long time if the report is to be believed. The opportunity to work under fellow countryman David Moyes and replace Rice at the London-based club could be enticing for the Scotland international.
The Red Devils, for their part, are not actively looking to offload McTominay, whose contract runs until 2025. However, they would consider selling the defensive midfielder if they receive a suitable offer, according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst (h/t @utdreport on Twitter).
West Ham, meanwhile, are also on the lookout for a new central defender and Maguire has emerged as an option. As per the report, they are considering signing the England international either on loan or permanently.
Maguire, 30, faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford after falling out of favor under manager Erik ten Hag. He was restricted to just 16 starts across competitions last season. Manchester United are keen to offload the defender ahead of the 2023-24 season but still want £50 million.
Despite their interest, the Hammers are unlikely to sign Maguire and McTominay at any cost as they have alternatives in mind. Juventus' Denis Zakaria, Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, Ajax's Edson Alvarez and Fulham's Joao Palhinha are mooted as potential replacements for Arsenal new boy Rice.
Moyes' side are also mulling over moves for Torino's Perr Schuurs, Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah and Real Betis' Luiz Felipe to bolster their defense.
Manchester United wanted to sign Arsenal's William Saliba before he signed new deal
Manchester United recently made Mason Mount their first signing of the summer, acquiring him from Chelsea for £60 million. They have now turned their attention towards signing a goalkeeper and a striker. The Red Devils are confident about signing Andre Onana from Inter Milan, while Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund is their top attacking target.
Before shifting their focus towards strengthening those two positions, the Premier League giants were in the market for a new central defender. They were interested in Kim Min-jae before he joined Bayern Munich. Similarly, Arsenal's William Saliba was of interest to them before he signed a new long-term deal with the Gunners.
Saliba was so important to Arsenal's Premier League title push last term that they won only five of their last 11 games after he suffered an injury. There were doubts about the defender's future at the Emirates Stadium towards the end of the season as his previous deal was expiring next year.
Manchester United were among the clubs keen on luring Saliba away from the north London giants if he didn't agree to a new deal. However, the France international eventually put pen to paper on a fresh five-year contract at Arsenal.