West Ham hold bold £30m striker ‘talks’ as Man Utd table surprise £6m bargain bid

After weeks of speculation and action, it feels almost surreal that the transfer window is finally entering its home straight. But as any football fan knows, this is where the fun truly begins. Prepare yourself a week-and-a-half of pure unadulterated chaos as clubs get desperate and players get their heads turned.

With that in mind, here’s a round-up of today’s Premier League gossip, including West Ham, Everton, and Manchester United. Check it out below...

West Ham eye Ekitike

So far this summer, Everton have signed players with the surname initials D, Y, C, and H. Unfortunately for Sean Dyche, however, his quest to recruit a perfect personal acrostic of talent could be scuppered by West Ham, who are said to be keen on hijacking the Toffees’ move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Hugo Ekitike.

As per Foot Mercato, positive talks have been held between the Hammers and the Ligue 1 giants, with the player deemed surplus to requirements in the French capital despite having only made his loan move from Stade Reims permanent a couple of months ago. It is understood that PSG paid around £30 million for the striker, and that they would ideally like to recoup that fee.

The 3AM Verdict: With just three goals and four assists in Ligue 1 last season, Ekitike is hardly prolific, but at 21, he still has plenty of time to make good on his obvious potential. Whether he is the man to lead the line for West Ham in the immediacy, however, remains to be seen, and at £30 million, his is a valuation that would surely require instant results for it to be justified.

Everton enter Tanganga race

In more auspicious news for Dyche, Everton have reportedly entered the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga. According to Inter Live, the Blues are eager to secure a loan deal for the 24-year-old, who is also on the radar of both the Milanese behemoths and Luton Town.

Not to be cruel, but given a choice between last season’s Champions League finalists and two clubs who look destined for tricky campaigns fighting relegation at the foot of the Premier League table, this one should be an absolute no-brainer. Then again, when has rationality ever been a factor in professional football?

The 3AM Verdict: On the basis of what we saw in their 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa over the weekend, Everton do need defensive reinforcements, and Tanganga is, in fairness, a decent enough player. A loan deal would be low risk for the Toffees, but whether or not this should be a priority addition when there are so many other issues that need to be dealt with, only time will tell.

United make Bayindir offer

And finally, with Dean Henderson seemingly on the verge of an exit, Manchester United have reportedly submitted an offer for Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. According to Fanatik journalist Gokmen Ozcan, the Red Devils have tabled a bid of around £6 million plus add-ons to Fenerbahce for the 25-year-old.

United could face difficulties convincing the player to swap Istanbul for Old Trafford, however, with question marks over his willingness to accept a back-up role while he is currently number one for both club and country.

The 3AM Verdict: If United could pull this one off it would be a great move. An international goalkeeper for £6 million would be an absolute steal, and would provide wonderful cover for Andre Onana between the sticks. Convincing Bayindir may be a difficult task, but it could prove to be one that is very worthwhile in the long run.