There is Harry Maguire deja vu as a big stumbling block emerges between Man United and West Ham over a deal for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Sky Sports is reporting that a deal between West Ham and Man United is progressing rapidly for Aaron Wan-Bissaka. On Wednesday morning the outlet is claiming that West Ham are finally close to agreeing a deal with Manchester United for the signing of the right back they spent £50m on from Crystal Palace.
It is reported that many aspects of the deal have been agreed in principle between the Hammers and Man United. But, crucially given new information that has come to light overnight, there is ‘but ‘still work to do on final fee and structure’.
Harry Maguire deja vu for West Ham in Man United talks
“There is cautious optimism a compromise can be reached with the gap in valuation,” Sky Sports reports. West Ham have been negotiating with the Red Devils over a deal for Wan-Bissaka for several weeks.
The player’s agent, Will Salthouse, is close with Hammers majority owner David Sullivan and his sons. Hammers News was told recently that Salthouse has pleaded with Sullivan to sign Wan-Bissaka.
After growing fed up with a lack of progress in talks over Wan-Bissaka, though, West Ham switched attentions to Manchester United target Noussair Mazraoui.
That, as called by Hammers News, appears to have been a clever Tim Steidten ploy to get Man United to sell Wan-Bissaka to West Ham.
Big stumbling block emerges over Wan-Bissaka deal
It seems to have worked. Because, as Sky Sports is again reporting today, once the deal with West Ham is done, Manchester United can proceed with their move for the Bayern Munich right-back who was managed by Erik ten Hag at Ajax.
As seems to be the case with most West Ham transfers, though, there’s a problem. It’s Harry Maguire deja vu as a big stumbling block emerges between Man United and West Ham over Wan-Bissaka.
Last summer West Ham agreed a £30m deal with Man United to sign Maguire. It rumbled on for weeks with reports claiming it was all but done.
In the end, though, the move collapsed because Man United refused to pay Maguire severance he was demanding to compensate for the hit he was taking in wages in agreeing to move to the London Stadium.
Now top West Ham insider Sean Whetstone has revealed a similar situation is playing out with Wan-Bissaka.
‘It remains the final obstacle’
And Julen Lopetegui will be hoping it does not have the same outcome.
Whetstone, who counts Sullivan and West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady among his close contacts, says compensation by way of a leaving bonus is now the final hurdle to get the deal done.
“Aaron Wan-Bissaka moving closer to a West Ham move,” Whetstone said.
“He had planned to run down his contract until next summer to allow him to demand bigger wages and a signing on fee but he now appears to be open to a move this summer if Manchester United compensate him with a lump sum in lieu of a percentage of his remaining wages. West Ham and Manchester United have agreed a fee in principle but compensation in shape of a leaving bonus remains the final obstacle.”
He had planned to run down his contract until next summer to allow him to demand bigger wages and a signing on fee but he now appears to be open to a move this summer if Manchester United compensate him with a lump sum in lieu… pic.twitter.com/UPmcawBZiQ
Steidten cannot afford another deal collapse. Especially as West Ham are looking to make another four or five signings this summer
