West Ham are interested in signing the Barcelona forward Memphis Depay. The Catalan club need to sell players in order to ease their financial problems and are willing to let Depay leave on a free transfer this summer.
The Netherlands international has a year left on his contract and has attracted interest from Chelsea and Juventus. It is believed that the former Manchester United player’s preference is to join a club who are in the Champions League.
[ Transfer news: West Ham centre back Issa Diop joins Shane Duffy at FulhamOpens in new window ]
However, West Ham have made an approach to Depay, who joined Barcelona last year, and believe that they have a chance of signing him. The club want to strengthen their attacking options after loaning Nikola Vlasic to Torino and are hopeful of proving their ambition to Depay, who joined United in 2015 and left for Lyon two years later.
West Ham have also had a £25m bid for the Sporting midfielder Matheus Nunes rejected. The Brazilian, who was one of the best players in Portugal last season, has a £51m release clause in his contract. Sporting are not prepared to listen to offers below £42m.
Ireland v Fiji: TV details, kick-off time, team news and more
To contest or not to contest? That is the question for Ireland’s aerial game
Ciara Mageean speaks of ‘grieving’ process after missing Olympics
Denis Walsh: Steven Gerrard is the latest to show a glittering name isn’t worth much in management
Wolves have also been pushing to sign Nunes and Chelsea have scouted the 23-year-old extensively. As it stands, though, nobody has come close to meeting Sporting’s valuation.
West Ham are also in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal for German centre-back Thilo Kehrer. — Guardian