Gradually the links grow and the ‘player interest’ moves from rumoured to real: West Ham’s incomplete summer transfer dealings look like being revisited as the Irons seek to make acquisitions to strengthen Nuno’s side.
The missed opportunity to sign Charlie Cresswell from Toulouse for just £16 million may come back to bite David Sullivan: Prices in January only head upwards and the French side will do their damndest to keep their squad together.
Should Sullivan bite the bullet and pay the estimated price to sign the England u21 centre – back – something between £18 and £20 million being the best guess – then he’ll be unwittingly offering relegation rivals Leeds a nice little windfall.
Leeds United inserted a 15% profit sell – on clause into the deal when they sold Cresswell to Toulouse for just £3.8 million a year and a half ago. `so a sale to West Ham at £18 million would bank them a tidy windfall according to the Yorkshire Evening Post:
“Leeds United eye £2m cash boost as Premier League relegation rivals linked with shock transfer:
West Ham were briefly linked with summer interest in Cresswell and according to talkSPORT, could reignite their pursuit once the January window opens. Defensive reinforcements are expected to be a priority for manager Nuno Espirito Santo, whose side remain in the relegation zone despite back-to-back home wins.”
Adding alternatives to the fragile defensive pairing of Todibo and Kilman would be surely be high on Nuno’s must-have list after selling Nayef Aguerd and not making a purchase to replace him in the summer: With Konstantinos Mavropanos – the other centre back option – still out injured, Cresswell could arrive in just the nick of time.