Have West Ham inadvertently made Southampton favourites for Mohamed Elyounoussi?

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Premier League duo West Ham United and Southampton watched Basel’s Elyounoussi in the Champions League, but the Hammers now have another target.

Mohamed Elyounoussi has been on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs for some time.

But it appears that dazzling Champions League performance away at Manchester City, where he scored the first and set up the second to secure a shock 2-1 win for Basel at the Etihad Stadium, has put the Norway international on course for a big-money move to England.

And, fortunately for long-standing suitors Southampton, it appears that West Ham United have turned their attention to another target.

ESPN claimed recently that the Saints, who have been linked with Elyounoussi for almost a year, sent scouts to Manchester to watch him in action and they will not have been disappointed.

But, according to the Sun, West Ham are also keen on a player who believes he will not be permitted to leave Basel for England unless a Premier League club coughs up £18 million.

Since then, however, the Hammers appear to have made another winger their top summer priority – Galatasaray’s Garry Rodrigues.

As reported by Turkish Football, West Ham have made a £10 million bid for the Cape Verde international who, like Elyounoussi, is a versatile wide man capable of scoring and creating.

Galatasaray will let Rodrigues go this summer, provided a club meets their £16 million price tag, meaning the former PAOK man would be cheaper than Basel’s talisman.

And Southampton will be keeping a close eye on the Rodrigues deal in the hope that this will leave them free to finally bring Elyounoussi to St Mary’s.