West Ham United face wait over Scott McTominay transfer as Fabrizio Romano tweets
West Ham may have found the perfect replacement for Declan Rice in Manchester United ace Scott McTominay.
But the Hammers will have to wait and see if they can bring him to the London Stadium, with the Red Devils deciding on the midfielder’s future this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Rice looks increasingly likely to leave West Ham at the end of the campaign, regardless of whether or not the club secure Premier League safety for another season.
“Erik ten Hag will decide on the situation of Victor Lindelof and Scott McTominay in the summer,” Romano posted on Twitter.
The journalist added that the centre-back had interest from Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan in January, while McTominay was and still is of interest to Newcastle.
The Magpies, along with Southampton, Leeds, Leicester and the Hammers all asked about the midfielder’s availability at the beginning of the year, according to 90min.
Arsenal are reportedly leading the chase for Rice [Ben Jacobs, via GiveMeSport], who is having another standout campaign in the heart of midfield for his club.
But Manchester United have also been mentioned in the talk surrounding the future of the England star, which could just give the Hammers a huge advantage in any battle for McTominay.
Swap deals certainly aren’t all that common, but such a situation could potentially arise between Rice and McTominay this summer, with any deal also involving a hefty fee for the former.
Currently sitting 18th in the Premier League table, West Ham would be even more lost without their skipper, who has been key to keeping things tight and balanced in midfield.
The 24-year-old’s price tag is increasing with every match he plays, with his feats not limited to West Ham, with Rice recently netting for England in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.
But McTominay’s stock has also risen in recent times, with the 26-year-old scoring four goals in his two Scotland matches earlier this month, including a stunning double against Spain.
While he wouldn’t be signed for his goals, that side of his game would be a welcome boost to a West Ham side that is struggling massively in the final third.
Given the presence of Casemiro and Fred in defensive midfield for Ten Hag, the Scot remains a squad player at best, usually coming into the team for cup matches or amid injuries to the regular duo.