Premier League strugglers Swansea City could lose centre-back Alfie Mawson but West Ham, rather than London rivals Spurs, is the most likely destination.
The fact that West Ham United will have to pay around £25 million to sign a centre-back from the club glued to the bottom of the Premier League is a reflection of the huge advance in transfer fees over the last few years.
But with Alfie Mawson young, English and blessed with a great deal of potential, £25 million is the going rate. Everton paid more for Michael Keane after all.
According to The Sun, West Ham have already seen an £18 million bid for Mawson rejected. But the 23-year-old, who signed from Barnsley just a year-and-a-half ago, could be on his way to the London Stadium in the New Year with David Moyes side ready to meet Swansea’s demands and table a bid of £25 million.
It’s tempting to wonder, however, whether such a huge price-tag has made other potential suitors think twice. It’s only a few months since Tottenham Hotspur were keen after all, The Sun reporting in the summer that Mauricio Pochettino was a big fan of the former England Under-23 international.
Strong in the air and boasting underrated technical abilities and an impressive passing range, Mawson could be seen as the ideal successor to Toby Alderweireld, whose long-term future in North London remains uncertain.
But there are other areas of Spurs’ squad that need strengthening first and that £25 million would surely be better used signing a new left-back, a dynamic central midfielder or perhaps a speedy, goalscoring wideman.
Alderweireld’s contract expires at the end of next season but Spurs can still call on Davinson Sanchez, Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier while Cameron Carter-Vickers is earning rave reviews on loan at Sheffield United.
So Spurs are perhaps right to let bitter rivals West Ham press ahead with their attempts to sign Mawson.
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