According to a report from The Guardian, West Ham United has shown interest in acquiring Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes during the upcoming summer transfer window, writes the football.london.
The report suggests that West Ham is eager to enhance their options on the left wing and has expressed their interest in Barnes, who has also been linked with Aston Villa. The estimated value of Barnes is stated to be £50 million, although this valuation could potentially decrease if Leicester faces relegation. To avoid relegation, Leicester must secure a victory against West Ham at the King Power Stadium, while Everton must fail to earn three points in their home match against Bournemouth.
If the report proves to be accurate and West Ham secures the signing of Harvey Barnes, manager David Moyes would face a dilemma regarding the left-wing position. Throughout the season, Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals, and Maxwel Cornet have competed for playing time on the left wing, with Benrahma predominantly emerging as the preferred choice. Cornet’s absence due to a calf injury for over five months between October and March has contributed to Benrahma’s prominence.
If West Ham were to acquire Barnes, they would have four recognized senior left wingers, potentially necessitating the offloading of one or two players. Fornals and Cornet possess versatility, with Fornals capable of playing as an attacking midfielder and having made some appearances on the right wing this season. Cornet, on the other hand, can operate on the right wing, as well as fulfilling roles as a left-back, wing-back, and striker. However, Benrahma has been West Ham’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League this season with six goals, tallying 11 goals across all competitions, albeit with five coming from penalties.
In comparison, Barnes has netted 12 Premier League goals, twice as many as any West Ham player, despite playing almost 600 fewer league minutes than Jarrod Bowen, who is tied with Benrahma for league goals this season. West Ham will require squad depth for the upcoming season, especially if they aim to qualify for the next edition of the Europa League, which they will achieve if they defeat Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final next month. However, the arrival of Barnes would likely lead to the departure of at least one of Benrahma, Fornals, or Cornet. Additionally, playmaker Nikola Vlasic, currently on loan at Torino, is another potential candidate for sale during the summer transfer window.