West Ham are stepping up efforts to sign Jesse Lingard after their move for Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma ran into difficulties.
The club have held talks with Villarreal about Danjuma, with €40m (£34.5m) plus add-ons potentially enough to land the Dutch winger, but the deal is now in doubt. West Ham have not agreed personal terms with the 25-year-old and various complications mean they are ready to move on to other attacking targets.
That could draw a frustrated reaction from Villarreal, who could use the funds from selling Danjuma to pursue the Almería forward Umar Sadiq. But David Moyes, West Ham’s manager, is increasingly minded to look elsewhere and is keen to bring Lingard back to the London Stadium.
Lingard, who has left Manchester United on a free transfer, impressed on loan at West Ham two seasons ago. Moyes is pushing to sign him but other clubs are interested in the attacking midfielder and West Ham could need the 29-year-old to lower his wage demands.
Moyes wants to improve his attacking options and is keen to bring in a striker. He has looked at Chelsea’s Armando Broja, but West Ham are yet to make an offer for the 20-year-old. Broja, who has interest from elsewhere, could be given a chance to impress Thomas Tuchel in pre-season before Chelsea decide on his future.
West Ham have strengthened their defence by signing Nayef Aguerd from Rennes and have bought the French goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain. They also want a left-back and at least one central midfielder.
Nottingham Forest are in talks with Manchester City over a deal for the right-back Issa Kaboré but are yet to reach an agreement over a fee.
Forest have targeted a full-back after it became clear Djed Spence would not be rejoining after last season’s successful loan. Another option is Liverpool’s Neco Williams but they had a bid rejected for the Wales international this week.
Kaboré impressed during a loan at Troyes last season and has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs and from Nice, who are engaged in talks over potentially trying to bring the Burkina Faso international back to France. The 21-year-old has 27 caps and represented his country at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he won the best young player award at this year’s tournament.
Forest have signed Taiwo Awoniyi for a club record £17m and will follow that by taking Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United. The club remain in talks over the Mainz defender Moussa Niakhaté and are hopeful of a deal soon.
