West Ham keeping tabs on Demarai Gray as Everton open to selling winger
West Ham are the latest Premier League club to show an interest in signing Everton winger Demarai Gray, according to Ryan Taylor.
The Daily Express journalist tweeted on 1 August to “keep an eye on” the Hammers potentially making a move for the Jamaica international after their bid to sign Manchester City forward Carlos Borges had been hijacked by Ajax.
The news comes after Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett reported on 31 July that the Toffees had agreed a deal to sell the 27-year-old to Fulham, but that he wouldn’t be allowed to leave until Sean Dyche has added to his squad.
Increase price tag
It’s good news for Everton that yet another club has shown an interest in Gray as it means they are likely to receive close to the £10million valuation that has reportedly been placed on his head.
Perhaps more sides being interested in signing the winger and one that is as desperate to bring in new players as West Ham means the Toffees could even bump up their asking price for him.
It’s understandable that Dyche wants to strengthen his squad before allowing him to leave because he is likely fearful that he might not be able to get a suitable replacement in.
But the club have already brought in Arnaut Danjuma on a season-long loan from Villarreal and that should ease his worries slightly about allowing Gray to move on.
It could be best to let him leave soon rather than later as it can’t be healthy to have a player at the club that the manager has reportedly made clear isn’t in his plans for the upcoming season.
In other Everton news, one Toffees forward is on the verge of leaving after a deal has been agreed with another club.