Surely Jamaal Lascelles wouldn’t leave Newcastle for West Ham after what he had to say about the club last October?
Apparently higher wages at the London Stadium could tempt Lascelles to the capital, while his agent has close links to the Hammers.
West Ham owners David Gold and David Sullivan are keen to appease angry fans and will make significant funds available this summer if West Ham avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Lascelles loves Newcastle
Yet surely a move to a club currently below the Magpies in the table would seem like a strange move for the centre-back, especially after his past comments about the Toon.
Lascelles arrived at St James’ Park in the summer of 2015 after completing a switch from Nottingham Forest a year earlier but spending the 2014/15 season on loan at the City Ground.
Despite Newcastle’s relegation from the top flight that term, the 24-year-old was one of the few players to emerge with credit and was quickly named skipper by manager Rafa Benitez as a result.
Lascelles lead the Tyneside club to the Championship title in 2016/17 and in October last year signed a new six-year contract and revealed just what the club meant to him.
“I’m over the moon. I love the city, the football and the fans,” the defender was quoted by the Sun.
“Everything about it, I enjoy so I’m happy to be tied down for the next six years here.
“We’ve got a group of ambitious lads, the fans are excellent and the manager has got trust in me, so I’m really happy here and I want to take the club as high as it can go.”
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