West Ham make bold promise to Celtic star and turn attention to Rangers hero. West Ham have made a bold promise to a Celtic star ahead of an imminent deal and have turned their attention to signing a Rangers hero.
Money is going to be tight at West Ham this summer and the club is turning to Scottish rivals Celtic and Rangers for bargains. Celtic and Rangers have always been hunting grounds for talent for Premier League clubs.
There has been many a bargain to be had north of the border – particularly out of The Old Firm.
And West Ham’s finances are dictating they will be shopping in that market this summer. Majority Hammers owner David Sullivan has been taking flak for a lack of new arrivals in the winter window.
Graham Potter has insisted it was he who was resisting making signings for the sake of it. The only signing was Evan Ferguson from Brighton on loan.
But the prospect of the Hammers keeping Ferguson permanently looks bleak as Brighton’s reported valuation is well beyond West Ham’s reach. Talent spotter Kyle Macauley was reunited with Potter at West Ham last month.
As a result, there was a clear shift in the profile of player being targeted, one of whom was Celtic’s Daniel Cummings. West Ham make bold promise to land Celtic star. And he’s not the only one catching the eye of the Hammers in Scotland with a Rangers star on the radar too.
West Ham have made a bold promise to Celtic star Cummings and have turned attention to a Rangers hero.
With 32-year-old Danny Ings and soon-to-be 35-year-old Michail Antonio out of contract at the end of the season and injury-prone 31-year-old Niclas Fullkrug wanting away, West Ham simply must sign at least two, if not three, new forwards for the summer. Two of them could come from Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers.
West Ham had looked set to seal the arrival of hot prospect 18-year-old forward Cummings before deadline day. Sky Sports reported West Ham were in talks to sign Celtic’s Scottish forward after being alerted by Portsmouth making a move for him.
Originally it was claimed the Hammers were trying to agree a pre-contract for a move in the summer but they then offered Celtic £500k to do the deal in January instead. Brendan Rodgers raged at Cummings’ agent as it became clear West Ham were closing on a move.
Deadline day came and went without the Irons sealing a deal with the Bhoys. Rodgers has pleaded with Cummings to show patience and stay with Celtic.
It has been reported that West Ham are now closing on a pre-contract agreement to sign Cummings in the summer. And Hammers News understands Potter and sporting director Mark Noble have made quite the promise to Cummings to seal a deal.
Potter and Macauley want West Ham revamp around youth. The Scotland youth international has grown restless at a lack of opportunity at Celtic, who have been trying to tie him down to a new deal.
In a clear attempt to show Cummings that Celtic was the right place for him, Brendan Rodgers gave the striker his debut in the Champions League defeat at Aston Villa recently.
But West Ham have promised Cummings he will be part of the club’s first team squad next season.
When the Hammers have signed young stars in the past they have often wound up with the Academy sides. They have then often been loaned out elsewhere before moving on with little to no first team involvement.
A top source has told Hammers News that Cummings has been persuaded to join West Ham over other clubs – and the option of staying at Celtic – on the promise of being involved in Potter’s first team squad from the off.
Hammers turn attention to Rangers hero
That’s some promise given how high the level is in the Premier League.
That’s not to say Cummings will be a starter. But the young Scot knows he will be starting off as part of the first team setup and not shunted into the Under 21s. West Ham may not be done there, though with their Scottish dealings.
The Hammers were also linked with Rangers forward Hamza Igamane during the window.
The 22-year-old has 13 goals and two assists in 21 starts for the Gers this season. Ibrox News claims West Ham could make a fresh approach for Igamane in the summer.
Pundit Derek Ferguson told the site he believes Rangers will accept between £6-8m for the Moroccan, who they signed for £2.5m with West Ham and Everton eyeing summer bids. “Money talks. Whether it’s Everton, West Ham or whoever else, you’d be looking at between £6-8m to prise him away.” Ferguson told the site.
