West Ham weighing up transfers of Man Utd duo Phil Jones and Nemanja Matic

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According to Eurosport, West Ham are weighing up launching efforts to sign Manchester United duo Phil Jones and Nemanja Matic in the summer transfer window.

The Irons are steadfast on strengthening David Moyes’ squad come the end of the season after an impressive campaign, that has seen the east London outfit contest for a top-four Premier League finish and look set for at least a place in next term’s Europa League.

Moyes is hopeful that West Ham can conclude their business early in the summer market so that any arrivals can settle and begin establishing relationships with their new teammates as soon as possible, but still has his own future to resolve.

What could also prevent the Hammers from swiftly securing deals is that wages are likely to be an issue for the London Stadium natives, including in negotiations for Matic and Jones with both players expected to demand more than £120,000-per-week to leave Old Trafford.

Matic currently makes £120k-p/w (Spotrac) with the Red Devils on a deal that is not set to expire until June 2023, while £75k-p/w Jones is also out of contract that summer on terms that include the option to extend by a further 12-months.

The pair’s desires to land lucrative contracts has not stopped Irons chiefs from exploring the potential of their availability, even though agreeing to Matic and Jones’ demands would see the duo rocket to the top of the club’s current wage bill.

West Ham have previously been linked with both Matic and Jones by 90min, who claimed they were brought up in discussions over a play-plus-cash exchange for Declan Rice, but it is not suggested that the Hammers are now keen to take up the Red Devils’ offer.

TBR’s view:

West Ham will have to think long and hard over targeting either Matic or Jones at the end of the season, as while they would bring vast experience – including that of winning league and European titles – to the London Stadium, both have their own downfalls.

Jones has not featured for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side since January 2020 after an operation on his knee, while Stuart Pearce – now one of Moyes’ assistant coaches – told talkSPORT in 2019 that he considered the defender to be a ‘utility player who plays every now and again.’

That is hardly befitting of a player earmarked to become a side’s top-earner, while Matic – who Jose Mourinho once called a ‘genius’ (Guardian) – will turn 33 this summer and Moyes has worked on lowering the average age of his squad since returning to West Ham.

Moyes named a squad with an average age of 30.2 for a Premier League game with Liverpool in February 2018, the third-highest by any West Ham manager in history, but has since decreased the value to an average of 28.7, suggesting Matic could be a step back.