West Ham have made Swansea City’s Alfie Mawson their priority defensive transfer target after their unsuccessful attempt to sign Jamaal Lascelles from Newcastle United, according to Wales Online.
The newspaper claim that the Hammers are set to set up their pursuit of the 24-year-old centre-back who currently earns £25,000-a-week at the Swans (Source: Spotrac) due to their failure to sign Lascelles as well as due to the recent injury to Winston Reid.
Wales Online report that the Swans want £20million for Mawson and that they are keen to avoid a long transfer saga regarding the player this summer.
The enforcer is believed to be desperate to leave the Welsh club this summer, according to Football.London, and that a return to London appeals to him.
OPINION
It seems despite the Daily Mirror previously claiming that the Hammers were set to bid again for Newcastle United’s Lascelles after seeing a £25million bid rejected, the club would rather pursue Mawson this summer instead. Given that the Mirror claimed the Magpies kept insisting that they didn’t want to sell their defender, it’s clear that getting Mawson’s services will prove much easier. The 24-year-old is reportedly desperate for a transfer in this window and it’s easy to believe that he’s not keen on playing his football in the Championship next season after the Swans’ relegation. While the Hammers will still have to pay a ridiculously inflated price for the 24-year-old after Reid’s injury it seems like something they simply must do. It was confirmed by the club’s official website on Thursday that Reid was set for at least another three months on the sidelines and Manuel Pellegrini must ensure he has enough top-level centre-backs available for the start of the season.
