West Ham United Look to Bolster Squad with Kalvin Phillips Loan

West Ham United manager David Moyes is keen to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window and has set his sights on loaning midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City. Although Phillips had fallen out of favor at City, Moyes believes the talented player can get “back on track” at West Ham, just as Jesse Lingard did when he joined the club on loan from Manchester United last season. The Hammers are hoping that Phillips’ addition will provide a boost to their midfield, especially after selling Declan Rice to Arsenal last summer for a hefty fee.

Alex Howell, a journalist with BBC Sport, has reported that Said Benrahma is on the verge of a permanent move to Lyon. While terms have been agreed between the French club and the player’s representatives, the final details still need to be sorted between Benrahma and West Ham. Upon completion of the deal, the Algeria winger will join Ligue 1.

Furthermore, Fulham’s pursuit of striker Armando Broja has hit a stumbling block as Chelsea is demanding a substantial loan fee. With their shortage of goals, Fulham had hoped to secure Broja’s services, but Chelsea’s initial asking price for a permanent deal proved excessive. Wolves also expressed interest in the Albanian international, but they too found the price too steep. Although Chelsea reduced their demands to a loan fee of £5m, Fulham still considers the overall package too expensive and will explore other options.

Crystal Palace has been active in this window, making signings such as Daniel Munoz from Genk and nearing a deal for Blackburn midfielder Adam Wharton. The Eagles have also shown interest in Maxwel Cornet, a player who could provide depth in the attacking areas and relieve some pressure on Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.

There have been talks of Nottingham Forest’s interest in goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. However, no deal has been finalized yet, and Johnstone is currently training with Crystal Palace. Forest is also considering Mats Selz from Strasbourg as another goalkeeping option.

As the transfer window becomes quieter overall, football agent Roberto de Fanti believes that Fulham might be one of the busiest clubs today, as they look to secure a striker. With financial constraints limiting clubs, multi-club ownership models may come into play for player trading. Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor, for example, has ownership stakes in multiple clubs, including Lyon, Botafogo, and Molenbeek. This interconnectedness has already resulted in loan moves between clubs, such as Malcolm Ebiowei joining Molenbeek from Palace and Tayo Adaramola going on loan to Molenbeek as well.

The January transfer window is shaping up to be a challenging one for clubs, with financial regulations impacting their ability to make significant signings. However, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, and Fulham are actively looking to strengthen their squads, exploring loan deals and potential transfers to address their specific needs.