Irons set for talks on two key players

West Ham will start talks aimed at securing Carl Jenkinson and Alex Song as permanent signings within a couple of weeks of the end of season.

The Hammers remain keen to sign both but the pair could cost a collective £15 million in transfer fees alone so some very hard bargaining is on the cards.

Jenkinson is valued at around £8 million by Arsenal and the Irons will want to pay half of that whilst given Song’s likely £70k minimum wage demands the club won’t want the transfer fee to rise much over £7 million.

ClaretandHugh was told this morning: “Jenkinson has done really well and we will be talking to Arsenal – the same is true of Alex despite his recent drop in form.

“We are expecting some departures which will ease the wages situation but negotiations on transfer fees are key and can be managed as we showed last summer.

“There is other money to be spent such as another tranche to Liverpool on the Andy Carroll transfer.”