James McAtee future to rest on West Ham after Manchester City transfer update

West Ham can facilitate the loan signing of James McAtee if they're willing to lose Mohammed Kudus to Manchester City in January.

Alan Nixon reported via his Patreon on 22 December that the Irons' hopes of signing McAtee next month have been complicated by the fact that City won't sanction an exit unless a replacement arrives first.

On the same day, however, the Premier League champions' interest in star Hammers forward Kudus emerged [Fichajes], leaving both clubs in a bind as Pep Guardiola weighs up a potential transfer north of £66million.

Julen Lopetegui therefore has a decision to make over the future of Kudus – who has had a below-par season by his standards thus far – amid reports aplenty of the two not seeing eye-to-eye.

West Ham will give Julen Lopetegui final call over Kudus transfer

City's interest in Kudus – who is the Hammers' best player whether his form this term has warranted that tagline or not – has suddenly given the East London side a dilemma of epic proportions this January.

The Ghanaian's £85m release clause does not become active until the 2025 summer transfer window opens, leaving other clubs to play a waiting game over whether or not they'd be willing to pay such a fee.

However, with Lopetegui clearly keen on signing McAtee – likely to be on an initial loan with a view to a permanent signing in the summer – the final call on this transfer merry-go-round could be up to him.

Collecting a fee in the region of up to £85m would help to alleviate any budding PSR worries at the London Stadium, with the Hammers pushing Jean-Clair Todibo's permanent signing forward to next summer [Sean Whetstone, 11 August].

Irons fans won't want to lose Kudus at all, let alone for a fee below his release clause they could receive in six months, but given the 24-year-old and Lopetegui's lack of harmony, a transfer may be sanctioned.

In other West Ham news, Martin Allen has hit out at the Irons' summer transfer policy in a damning verdict on social media.

For more West Ham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp channelfor instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.