West Ham are ready to offer £25million for Swansea City defender Alfie Mawson, according to the Sun.
The newspaper claim that Hammers boss David Moyes is keen to sign the centre-back, 23, in the January window and hopes to lure him by offering to quadruple his wages from £15,000-a-week to £60,000-a-week.
The Sun report that Swansea value Mawson at £40million but West Ham will offer speedy wide man Andre Ayew back to his former club in part exchange to sweeten the deal.
It is said that the defender, who has been an ever-present for rock-bottom Swans in the Premier League this season, is concerned about dropping down to the Championship.
West Ham, who spent £20million on Ghana international Ayew in the summer of 2016, believe the combination of the huge fee and enticing salary could swing the deal in their favour.
Good move for West Ham?
Mawson was given a breather on Saturday as he was rested from the 0-0 FA Cup stalemate against Wolves, but he has proved this season to be tough and durable in an otherwise dispiriting Swansea campaign. Comfortably the club’s outstanding player this season, he has been an ever-present in their league campaign, start and finishing all 22 of their top-flight fixtures. Confident with the ball at his feet and commanding in the air, his positional play and awareness has improved since joining from Barnsley in the summer of 2016. He has the potential to be a major player for Moyes, who knows that is required to be a top modern centre-back.
This Is Futbol rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
The market for capable centre-backs has shifted following Virgil van Dijk’s £75million transfer to Liverpool and West Ham are clearly going to have to spend seriously big to land Mawson this month. It will encourage Hammers fans that the expendable Ayew could be used in part-exchange to secure the deal but, in reality, swaps are rare. Given Swansea’s precarious status, it is difficult to see this deal getting done in January without West Ham breaking the bank.
This Is Futbol rating: 5/10