Wilfried Zaha has taken matters into his own hands over a West Ham move but Aston Villa are now lurking according to new reports.
Incoming West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui has wasted little time in identifying one of the first players he wants to sign this summer.
That man is Wilfried Zaha but the problem for West Ham is that now Aston Villa want him too.
Reports emerging today claim Lopetegui could be on a collision course with Aston Villa boss Unai Emery to land Zaha.
Villa failed to emulate West Ham as they crashed out of the Europa Conference League in the semi-finals last night.
Emery’s side were dumped out by none other than Olympiacos, who West Ham ironically helped relegate from the Europa League into the Conference League earlier this season.
Aston Villa will go one better than the Hammers this season, though, by securing Champions League football for next term.
And that, it seems, might pose a problem for Lopetegui in landing one of his first targets.
Compatriots to butt heads for Zaha
According to KUMB earlier this week, Galatasaray winger Zaha is in Lopetegui’s sights.
The report claimed Zaha’s agents flew to England for further talks with their counterparts at West Ham over a move.
We reported how Zaha had then set West Ham tongues wagging with a cryptic post on X.
The 31-year-old wrote: “God’s timing,” alongside an hourglass emoji – usually used to signify ‘waiting’.
That sparked a flurry of speculation and focus on the potential move. And the former Palace winger added further intrigue by later deleting the post.
It has been unclear whether Gala would be prepared to sell after just one year with the Turkish giants.
Now Zaha has taken matters into his own hands over a West Ham move but Villa lurk.
Zaha takes matters into his own hands
According to Turkish outlet Takvim, West Ham are serious about Zaha but so are Aston Villa.
The report claims Zaha, who has featured just four times for Gala since March, wants to now meet with his club’s leaders to convince them to sanction a move for him in the summer window.
Takvim report that Zaha’s agent is still in England where he has now met with both the Hammers and Aston Villa.
It is stated that ‘negotiations have started’ over the possibility of the 31-year-old’s transfer, presumably in the hop Gala will give a move their blessing.
How much the Turks will want for Zaha is anyone’s guess having signed him on a free.
The links to Zaha came a day after confirmation from West Ham that David Moyes will be leaving the club.
Real meaning behind cryptic post?
Moyes inherited Zaha from Sir Alex Ferguson when taking over at Man United.
But things simply did not work out for the player or Moyes at Old Trafford.
Some Hammers fans believed Zaha’s now deleted social media post was referring to the timing of Moyes’ departure, Lopetegui’s appointment and his desire to return to the Premier League.
It did seem rather coincidental that his rare and random post came amid the reports of talks with – and a potential move to – West Ham.
Many Hammers fans in the replies certainly saw it as a hint from Zaha that he could be on his way.
But his future may be in a different shade of claret and blue with Aston Villa having Champions League football to offer.
Some West Ham fans feel the club should be looking to younger, hungry players. That’s despite the athletic and pacy attacker having scored 105 goals for club and country in his career.
Perhaps Villa and Emery’s interest might change a few minds on whether he would be a good addition.