Reports suggesting Derby youngster Luke Thomas is set to become Manuel Pellegrini’s first signing at West Ham are “not true whatsoever”, according to a club insider.
According to Gloucestershire Live the Hammers submitted a £1.2million bid for the Rams Young Player of the Year, with former club Cheltenham Town in line to receive a 15% sell-on fee for the 19-year-old.
However, as reported by West Ham site Claret and Hugh, a club source has said that these claims are well wide of the mark as Pellegrini seeks his first Irons incoming.
The source is quoted as saying this report was “not true whatsoever” amid this huge development.
OPINION
It had seemed like a deal for Thomas was close between the two clubs, with reports seemingly adamant that the Hammers had tabled a bid for the 19-year-old. However, this club insider seems to think that is not the case, and Claret and Hugh are usually spot on with their information. This is not to say that the Hammers are not interested in Thomas, but they do not seem to be close to a deal for the youngster. So, the search goes on for Pellegrini’s first signing, and fans will be hoping for a much bigger name to be Pellegrini’s first incoming. The Chilean has spoken about the need to bring in four or five new players in the coming weeks, with several areas of the squad needing reinforcements. Defence in particular needs bolstering, with the Hammers conceding a joint league-high 68 goals in 2017/18, with midfield also an issue.
