West Ham United and Sunderland are expected to be extremely busy during this summer’s transfer window.
Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has a lot of work to do during the summer, if he is to build a squad capable of challenging for the Europa League spots this season.
One particular area of concern for the Croatian will be West Ham’s ageing back-line, and the addition of a centre-back bang in the middle of his prime will surely feature highly on his wish-list.
With this in mind, the east Londoners could kill two birds with one stone, by offering James Collins to the Black Cats, in an attempt to sweeten a potential deal for Lamine Kone.
Sunderland’s Lamine Kone
The Welshman is set to turn 34 in August, and whilst he has proven to be a loyal servant to the Hammers, his lack of pace must be beginning to become a worry for Bilic.
The 28-year-old Sunderland centre-back, on the other hand, possesses electric pace, and that combined with his raw physical power makes him such an assuring figure at the back, for whichever team he is playing for.
The Sun reported just last week that the Wearsiders were willing to accept a fee in the region of around £7 million, and with Collins thought to be worth roughly £3 million, West Ham could earn themselves a real bargain by bringing the Ivorian to east London, whilst shipping the Wales international in the opposite direction to the Stadium of Light.
There will surely be a lengthy queue of potential suitors for Kone, what with the price that Sunderland are reportedly willing to sell him at, so the Hammers will obviously not have things all their own way, should they choose to pursue the 6ft 1in centre-back.
Offering the Black Cats the opportunity to take someone of Collins’ experience in return, however, could firmly tip the scales in West Ham’s favour.
Sunderland’s Lamine Kone
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