West Ham’s January transfer plans have been handed a potential blow with the news that the Hammers have been warned off a move for a long-term midfield target.
David Moyes is keen on improving his underperforming East London side with January additions and speculation has suggested he will reignite the club’s interest in Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho.
The Portuguese international was linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer but approaches for a deal were unsuccessful, leading to a war of words between West Ham and their continental counterparts.
Those issues have now been left in the past but the Hammers will face trouble if they attempt to move for Carvalho in January, with Sporting’s club president Bruno de Carvalho insisting the 25-year-old won’t be leaving this month.
“Forget [it]. He is not transferable in January. If one day he leaves, wherever it is, we must ensure that the footballing aspect of the decision is not called into question,”
West Ham do have alternative targets in midfield, having been linked with Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey and Stoke City’s Joe Allen, amongst others, in recent weeks.
