Cardiff and Hearts join race for Fleetwood wonder Paddy Lane after West Ham United scouting mission
West Ham United sent scouts to watch Fleetwood wonder Paddy Lane last season, and now interest is really starting to grow, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper have reported in their print edition [June 27, pg. 51] that Cardiff and Hearts want to sign the 21-year-old attacking midfielder.
Lane has broken into the Northern Ireland set-up recently, and is said to be rated at £1million for any interested suitors this summer.
There is no mention on whether or not the Hammers are still interested in this one.
West Ham have certainly targeted young Northern Irish players in the recent past, but picking one up from the EFL with that experience already may come in handy.
Lane would almost certainly have to play some games in the academy, though or at least go back out on loan, with his chances at the London Stadium likely limited.
Race.
Cardiff and Hearts are certainly set to chase after this one much more.
West Ham look to pick up bargains if they can, but they won’t be dragged into something they don’t really need that desperately at this moment in time.
With the likes of Nikola Vlasic still at the club and offers on the table for Jesse Lingard, it just appears very unlikely that Lane will come under consideration right now.
Not in a bad way, but the young lad is not in a position to make a real difference in the Premier League, despite being seen as the potential next Jarrod Bowen much further down the line.
Gaining international experience with Northern Ireland is a step towards that, but right now, others would offer much more than bringing in another young head in that area.
David Moyes and Rob Newman have much bigger fish to fry right now in their quest to strengthen the final third, and we expect any move for Lane to slip away very quietly behind the scenes at West Ham United.