West Ham will not be bidding £20m for Manchester City centre-back John Stones, according to insider ExWHUemployee.
Reports in the English media this morning claimed that the Hammers were interested in the 26-year-old but a move always looked very unlikely. Supporters on Twitter are not surprised that the story turned out to be false:
We don’t have £20 let alone 20m
— brian finch (@finchy83) July 31, 2020
That’s…good news
— Supreme Leader Binhead (@OficialCLtweets) July 31, 2020
Shame, we need 1 or 2 with Prem experience. Big risk we go backwards if we go for all Championship players.
— Josh (@josh_whu) July 31, 2020
As per usual our clubs name gets used to drum up interest.
— Jason blundell (@JasonJason07977) July 31, 2020
Of course not, we havent got any money ?
— Kyle Marvell (@KyleMarvell) July 31, 2020
@specky_beccy that’s that then ?
— Damien Murphy (@Damo_84) July 31, 2020
There is absolutely no chance I believed we had. His wages would be FAR to high for what we’re meant to be trying to achieve
— ⚒️Dave the Machine (@Dave_themachine) July 31, 2020
I’d try and loan him personally.
— Antonio’s Leap (@LeapOfAntonio) July 31, 2020
pic.twitter.com/Sg5HMyOFpQ
— Matt Bradley (@mattbradley51) July 31, 2020
It’s actually £20 we have bid lol
— John groom (@Likemydreams76) July 31, 2020
Stones is also said to be on Arsenal and Chelsea’s radar so even if West Ham did have the funds to sign the England international, it would have been a difficult deal to complete.
Irons boss David Moyes is believed to be on the lookout for a new centre-back this summer but it is thought that someone like Wigan’s Cedric Kipre is a more realistic target.
There has also been talk of a potential approach for Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti but that would likely depend on whether the Frenchman would be available on an affordable loan deal.