West Ham were given great hope of signing a reported top target over the weekend but it seems Spurs are interfering.
There is no love lost between West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur, on or off the pitch.
Although Spurs showed class recently by putting rivalries aside to send messages of support to West Ham following Michail Antonio’s car crash and the tragic death of Academy starlet Oscar Fairs.
As far as Premier League rivalries go nowadays, there aren’t too many fiercer than the one shared by West Ham and Tottenham.
Both the Hammers and Spurs have bigger rivals in the shape of Millwall and Arsenal of course.
But West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur is right up there.
From dodgy Lasagnes to unofficial transfer embargoes, former players biting current ones and battles over a stadium – it’s a rivalry that’s had some interesting sub-plots.
It’s not just on the pitch and in the stands that the Hammers and Tottenham don’t see eye-to-eye either.
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Relations have been extremely frosty between the two boardrooms – particularly between West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady and Daniel Levy.
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That’s ever since the clubs went through the courts over an alleged spying scandal where Brady was the target.
In the transfer market Spurs got one over on West Ham in the summer.
Majority owner David Sullivan confirmed he really wanted to sign Dominic Solanke.
The Hammers even had meetings with Solanke’s family ahead of the summer window to talk about the possibility of a move.
But Sullivan conceded West Ham could not compete with the £60m plus Tottenham paid.
The jury remains out on whether that was money well spent. But the Irons certainly still need a new attacking midfielder and striker as part of an ongoing rebuild.
The club has confirmed that this week ahead of the January transfer window.
But Sullivan and co may have to go head-to-head with Tottenham again to get a player they want.
Because a Spurs star has been caught on camera sweet-talking a top West Ham target ahead of a January bid.
Spurs star caught sweet-talking top West Ham target
The Hammers have been keeping a close eye on Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling ahead of the winter window, according to Caught Offside.
The site, which gets information from Fabrizio Romano, claims West Ham chiefs “have been monitoring” Dibling’s eye-catching performances.
It is claimed the Saints have set an asking price of “at least” £20.6 million with scouts from other Premier League clubs also watching the 18-year-old.
Sky Sports News also reiterated West Ham’s interest over the weekend, stating they are one of the clubs most keen to sign the teenager.
Southampton are on course to be relegated straight back to the Championship and are vulnerable to losing Dibling as a result.
Russell Martin gave West Ham real hope of signing budding superstar Dibling before he was sacked by Southampton at the weekend.
Asked about the interest of West Ham and other rivals in his star player, Martin admitted talks over a new deal with the teenager have hit a wall.
It has since emerged that Dibling ‘feels disrespected’ by the contract offer made to him.
But Spurs might be employing some clever tactics to beat West Ham to a player seen as a replacement for Mohammed Kudus – who now looks set to depart as early as January.
Tottenham captain Son Heung-min was caught on camera after their 5-0 win over Southampton having an intimate chat with Dibling.
Agent Son works on Dibling but Hammers have big advantage
Southampton fans have suggested Son is trying to persuade Dibling to join him at Spurs.
Whether it’s underhanded or clever, West Ham have seen this themselves first hand before.
Oleksandr Zinchenko did the same thing to Declan Rice after a game against West Ham when there were rumours he could join Arsenal.
A player like Dibling is much more in line with the expectation Hammers fans had from their recruitment under technical director Tim Steidten.
If Son has been set Dibling as an assignment, then clearly the Hammers will have Spurs to compete with for his signature.
But the east Londoners would surely have the advantage.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Kudus will be sold.
Graeme Bailey has claimed that Kudus may even be sold in January as the Hammers need to raise funds to sign players, including a new attacking midfielder and forward.
Arsenal are favourites to land Kudus, who has an £85m release clause active from July but could go for £100m plus in January.
With the prospect of that kind of money coming in, the Hammers could easily afford Dibling as Kudus’ replacement.
Crucially he would be coming in at West Ham knowing he is going to play regularly and continue to develop.
At Spurs he would be up against their best and most loved player Dejan Kulusevski as well as the likes of Brennan Johnson and others.
That would suggest Dibling would be better served joining West Ham.
But he may need to be talked around if Son has got in his ear with this little chat.