As The Pitch Prospect has learned, West Ham are ahead in the race to sign Arsenal star Reiss Nelson.
Nelson, whose transfer fee is estimated at £25 million, wants to leave Arsenal this summer as he becomes increasingly frustrated with a lack of playing time.
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Crystal Palace, who are looking for a replacement for Michael Olise, who joined Bayern Munich earlier this month, are also interested in the former England U21 international.
The 24-year-old has struggled to get a regular start in Mikel Arteta’s team, but his contract runs until 2027.
West Ham have also agreed a contract with Nice for defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
The deal is a loan with an option to buy worth £27 million, although Todibo is attracting interest from elsewhere.
Man United had their eye on the defender, but UEFA rules regarding joint ownership between United and Nice hampered any prospect of a deal.
New Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui, who replaced David Moyes this summer, has already recruited three new players.
Max Kilman joined from Wolves for £40 million, while Luis Guilherme joined from Palmeiras for an undisclosed fee and Wes Foderingham signed for free.
Meanwhile, Nelson progressed through Arsenal’s academy and made his first-team debut in 2017.
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He signed a new four-year contract ahead of the start of the 2023/24 season, with Arteta stressing how “important” Nelson is to the team and what “quality” he has.
Last season, however, he only started once in the Premier League, but made a total of 24 appearances in all competitions.
Nelson scored one goal during the season – the winning goal in a 1-0 win over Brentford in the League Cup – and provided three assists.
After the FA Cup clash against Liverpool, he said: “It’s good to come off the bench, but I want to be in the starting line-up.
“I feel like I can prove myself every day in training. I want to continue with this momentum and play more.”
The Pitch Prospect also reported that Brighton were interested in Nelson in March.