Ligue 1 giants Marseille have lowered their asking price for West Ham target Morgan Sanson, according to a report in France.
The Hammers are said to have launched a £30m bid for the 25-year-old in January, but Les Olympiens rebuffed the offer as they valued him around £6m higher.
However, it's now claimed that they are desperate to raise funds, and are willing to sell their best players in order to do so. French outlet Le 10 Sport note that they are prepared to part ways with Sanson for just £19m - a huge £17m reduction from their original asking price.
That news may be music to West Ham's ears, providing they retain their Premier League status. The Hammers need to add more central midfield depth to their squad, despite the January arrival on loan of Tomáš Souček from Sparta Praha.
David Moyes' side do have an option to buy if they stay up and they will likely trigger that clause if they do stave off relegation. But with Jack Wilshere consistently on the treatment table, further reinforcements are needed to ease the burden on Declan Rice and the ageing legs of captain Mark Noble.
They did try to sign Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge in January, too, but he opted to move to the safety of Chris Wilder's Blades, who are challenging for a European place next season.
Sanson, meanwhile, has been a regular for André Villas-Boas' side, and has impressed with five goals and assists each from 27 league appearances. Yet he is not just an attacking threat, as he also averages 2.2 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game, which shows his willingness to work hard defensively for his team too.
He made his senior debut for Le Mans in 2012, before joining Montpellier after just one season. The 25-year-old played 107 games for the club over a four-season period, and it led to the Frenchman moving to Marseille for an initial fee of €9m in 2017, where he has emerged as a key player for Les Olympiens.
With West Ham keen to improve on their disappointing season, shown by their current 16th place in the Premier League, Sanson could be an excellent signing.
Source : 90min