West Ham United have stopped all talks with Southampton over a move for Kyle Walker-Peters this summer and will now focus on alternative targets, according to Football Insider sources.
Julen Lopetegui has been very keen to bring a right-back in after losing Ben Johnson on a free to Ipswich Town, the Spaniard was very keen on keeping Johnson after he impressed in both legs of our Europa League tie against Sevilla in 2022. However, Johnson wanted to move on to find regular first team football elsewhere.
West Ham hoped to involve Flynn Downes in a deal to sign Walker-Peters, however, Southampton were playing hardball. Many believed Downes’ £18m move to Southampton would have smoothed over negotiations, however, Southampton stood firm on their reported £20m valuation of the player. West Ham didn’t want to pay that much for a player with just a year left on his contract. So, therefore the club moved onto other targets.
The player West Ham looked set to sign instead was Noussair Mazraoui. Despite agreeing a fee, there was problems in the talks between the club and his agents so a deal fell through. Manchester United now look set to sign the Moroccan defender, which made Aaron Wan-Bissaka available.
The Irons have had a long-term interest in the English defender, but were put off by Manchester United’s crazy valuation of a squad player with just a year remaining on his deal. However, after advancing with the Mazraoui deal, United made Wan-Bissaka available for around £15m, which West Ham were happy to pay. A deal is now at an advanced stage, therefore a move for Kyle Walker-Peters is off the cards for West Ham.
