West Ham United’s winter transfer window is beginning to feel increasingly frantic, with the club showing little sign of a clear plan behind their recruitment efforts.
According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are plotting a shocking move for Newcastle United skipper Jamaal Lascelles in a bid to bolster their survival battle.
West Ham entered the transfer window with defensive reinforcements as the priority.
However, the Hammers look to be casting a wider net as the weeks pass, reacting to repeated setbacks rather than laying out a clear transfer strategy.
Reports claim West Ham have been turned down on multiple occasions already during the window.
They tried to negotiate a deal for Donyell Malen, but the Dutchman opted to join AS Roma from Aston Villa. Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri was also on their radar, but he proved to be out of reach.
These repeated knock-backs have only added to the sense that West Ham are struggling to attract players who could help turn their fortunes around.
West Ham’s interest in Lascelles reeks of desperation
Against that backdrop, Newcastle ace Lascelles has emerged as a new target for West Ham.
The 32-year-old centre-back is entering the final six months of his contract at St James’ Park and looks set to move on in the summer.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is not expected to offer him a new deal, with the club looking to bolster their own defensive options as injury woes worsen.
They’ll be more than happy to cut Lascelles loose to free up space for a new addition.
West Ham are hoping Lascelles’ experience would help steer them away from danger, but the move reeks of desperation rather than conviction.
Lascelles has played only 19 minutes of Premier League football over the past two seasons and is hardly the transformative addition West Ham hopes he can be.
Those two appearances came in back-to-back games against Bournemouth and Arsenal back in September. He hasn’t played a single minute of Premier League football since due to a muscle injury.
If West Ham act on their interest in Lascelles, it’ll be nothing short of a panic purchase that wouldn’t help their relegation battle in any way.