WEST HAM have entered the race to land in-demand Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri.
Chelsea are reportedly in advanced talks with the player who is keen on a move to the Premier League but West Ham are looking to hijack the deal.
Seri,26, has a release clause of £35million, making him one of the most sought after midfielders in Europe.
New Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini has already signed Ryan Fredericks from Fulham but is keen on making a big signing to capture the imagination of the Irons faithful.
A potential deal for Paris Saint-Germain schemer Javier Pastore had been mooted but this looks dead in the water as the Argentine star is demanding a whopping £170,000-a-week to move to East London.
Napoli and Borussia Dortmund are also in the mix for Seri who has made it clear he will not be playing in France next season.
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West Ham have made contact with the Ligue 1 side, but will have to match his release clause to have any chance of taking him to the London Stadium.
Chilean boss Pellegrini has been at the London Stadium helm for less than a month and already there are reported problems between him and the club top brass.
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The Mirror report the former Manchester City boss has had a number of his transfer requests knocked back, raising early concerns.
A power struggle also continues as Pellegrini wants to the club to hire Mario Husillos as the new head of recruitment.
The 59-year-old worked with the new Hammers boss during his three-year stint at Malaga, and is a childhood friend of Pellegrini’s trusted assistant Ruben Cousillas.
But SunSport have learnt there are doubts among the Hammers top brass about the transfer fixer’s recent record, and how it would look to the fans ahead of an important season.
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