West Ham are expected to table an offer for Leicester winger Harvey Barnes once Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal is confirmed, according to ExWHUEmployee.
Speaking on the West Ham Way podcast, the insider claimed that Barnes is the number one priority for the Hammers as they look to kickstart their spending following Rice’s departure.
Fans on Twitter are backing the club’s move for Barnes, although many are asking why a bid for Barnes hasn’t been made sooner:
just move for him now ffs
— Josh BW (@joshbw18) July 4, 2023
Fantastic potential signing ✍️⚒️
— Jamie (@JamieH_WHUFC) July 4, 2023
He’ll be gone before that happens. Club is painful i swear
— Will Robinson ⚒🫧 (@WillRobo1990) July 4, 2023
Yeah joke that we need him even if rice stays get it done ffs ⚒
— James Bodiam (@james_bodiam) July 4, 2023
I don’t get why rice has to be sold for us to make bids, so say rice stays will be going into the new season with just free transfers and loans as our signings
— rhys (@rhysie88) July 4, 2023
Translation: “West Ham are set to miss out on the chance to sign the likes of Harvey Barnes, Paulihna, Zakaria due to relying on the Rice deal”
If we miss out on any of our top targets then we should pull the plug on Arsenal and keep rice.— Anglo Saxon 🏴 (@hurt_puma) July 4, 2023
Barnes’s asking price
Reports suggest that Leicester are demanding around £35m for the winger, which is a very reasonable fee considering he scored 13 goals in the Premier League last season.
Barnes is also still only 25 years of age, so West Ham could well be getting the England international just before he hits his prime.
West Ham are also pursuing replacements for Rice
While it looks as if some of the proceeds from Rice’s sale will go towards purchasing Barnes, there is also the small matter of finding a successor for the club captain.
Ex claims that the Irons have identified no less than three potential replacements, with enquiries expected to be lodged for the likes of Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, Juventus’s Denis Zakaria and Ajax’s Edson Alvarez.
In terms of the fees required for the trio, Palhinha is reportedly valued at £60m, so West Ham may opt for Zakaria or Alvarez as cheaper options, with the possibility that the former could even be available on loan.
