A strange West Ham signing now appears to be edging closer after a fresh revelation from bitter rivals Spurs emerged amid doubts over the deal.
What had previously seemed confusing or unlikely in West Ham circles, especially after comments from Spurs boss Thomas Frank, has taken on a new level of credibility following developments in north London.
And the new twist suggests the situation may be moving towards a conclusion.
They’re fierce London rivals but transfers between West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur are like London buses.
There wasn’t one for 14-and-a-half years and then all of a sudden two come along in the space of six months.
West Ham and Spurs transfer deals like London buses
There was an unofficial transfer embargo between West Ham and Spurs in that time born of frosty relations between the respective boardrooms.
The final straw was Daniel Levy pulling the plug on a deal which would have seen West Ham take Emmanuel Adebayor off Tottenham’s hands.
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Hammers co-owner of the time David Gold, now sadly passed, lambasted Levy on social media for his conduct saying: “There are some people you simply cannot do business with.”
That is why the sale of Mohammed Kudus, one of West Ham’s best players, to Tottenham was controversial in the summer.
Especially for £54.5m, which would have seemed a bargain a year prior.
Kudus has been one of Tottenham’s best players without setting the world alight. But Thomas Frank’s side sit 14th in the Premier League, so that is hardly an achievement worth writing home about and now Kudus is out injured until April.
Before Kudus, the last player to leave West Ham for Tottenham was Scott Parker.
The last player to come in the other direction was David Bentley when the Hammers were in the Championship.
Now West Ham want to take their first player from Spurs for 15 years in a bid to avoid ending up there next season.
Strange West Ham signing now surely close after Spurs revelation
Yesterday it was reported that the Hammers are closing on Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky.
Big Czech star Kinsky has struggled for game time at Spurs. That’s despite the questionable form of much-criticised number one Guglielmo Vicario.
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A mistake? Or a masterstroke?
The Irons are looking to sign former Slavia Prague star Kinsky on loan with a non-mandatory purchase option.
West Ham’s £15m goalkeeper flop Mads Hermansen had been tipped to go in the other direction to join Spurs.
That makes sense given the Danish connection with Frank – who remains in the job, for now at least.
There was no mention of Hermansen in the latest Kinsky update.
Frank cast doubt on West Ham’s chances of signing Kinsky when he stated he needs him as back-up to Vicario.
But what would be something of a strange West Ham signing is now surely close after a revelation from rivals Spurs.
Alphonse Areola has been one of West Ham’s best players since Nuno Espirito Santo, himself a former Champions League winning goalkeeper, arrived at the club.
While Hermansen has failed to impress, it seems odd Nuno wants to offload him just to bring in another goalkeeper who will just be number two – especially if Kinsky, as Frank says, wants to be playing.
Unless West Ham have shock plans to sell Areola, who earns £120k-per-week, in this window?
But despite saying he needs Kinsky, it seems Frank is already planning for the Czech stopper to join West Ham.
Journalist Alan Nixon has exclusively revealed Spurs have made a shock move for Wolves ‘keeper Sam Johnstone to become their back-up to Vicario.
Johnstone is up for the move according to Nixon on his Patreon after losing his place back to Jose Sa at Molineux.
Nixon says the move has come about because Spurs have accepted Kinsky may be leaving for West Ham.