Southampton defender Kyle Walker-Peters is a man in demand this summer following an impressive season in the Championship.
Russell Martin will want to focus on incomings this summer as he prepares for his first experience of the Premier League as a manager.
However, the Southampton boss may not be afforded that luxury, with Kyle Walker-Peters attracting interest from the likes of West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton.
The fact the right-back is set to enter the final year of his contract further complicates matters for Southampton, but news that West Ham are now considering alternatives to Walker-Peters could actually be bad news for the Saints.
West Ham eye Aaron Wan-Bissaka as Kyle Walker-Peters alternative
West Ham are very much in the market for a new right-back.
With long-term Southampton target Ben Johnson joining Ipswich Town on a free, Julen Lopetegui currently only has Vladimir Coufal in the position.
That has seen the Hammers strongly linked with a move for Walker-Peters, with Fabrizio Romano recently reporting that the player himself had given the green light for the move.
However, with West Ham and Southampton differing in their valuations of the twice-capped England international, the East London club have turned their attention elsewhere.
That is according to the Daily Mail, who report that West Ham are ‘tracking Aaron Wan-Bissaka’ with Manchester United keen to raise funds this summer.
Kyle Walker-Peters could hold key to Flynn Downes deal
Whilst the immediate reaction is likely to be that this is good news for Southampton, it could be fatal in their efforts to sign Flynn Downes this summer.
Downes is the number one priority for Martin ahead of a Premier League return, with the 25-year-old a standout performer whilst on loan at St Mary’s last season.
Whilst a direct swap would be difficult to negotiate, it is thought that Southampton and West Ham have been discussing the possibility of separate deals that see Walker-Peters and Downes swap clubs.
In an ideal world, Southampton would be able to keep both, but getting Downes as a makeweight for Walker-Peters would certainly soften the blow.
If West Ham move on to other targets, this could mean they are reluctant to allow Downes to join Southampton as a result of a souring of the two clubs’ relationship over a deal for Walker-Peters.
Walker-Peters was Southampton’s sole representative in the EFL Championship Team of the Season last year and Saints journalist Adam Blackmore spoke on his influence in December, as he said: “I wonder how important he’s become.
“You look at what happened in the summer [rumoured transfer interest] and you just wonder by the end of the season how important keeping him will have been.
“He’s such an integral part of what they’re doing. It’s almost like the team is built around him to get the most out of him.”
The worst part is that West Ham cooling their interest would not only make signing Downes difficult but it would not even guarantee Walker-Peters stays at St Mary’s given the interest of both Spurs and Brighton.