West Ham in talks to sign Kyle Walker-Peters

West Ham in talks to sign Kyle Walker-Peters

West Ham United are in talks to bring in defender Kyle Walker-Peters in a move that could see Flynn Downes move to the Saints permanently.

According to Mike McGarth of The Telegraph, the Hammers are in talks with Southampton to complete the signing of Walker-Peters who has played 167 times for the club he joined Tottenham Hotspur. New manager Julen Lopetegui is said to be keen on bringing the defender in.

Walker-Peters was a part of the team that won the Championship play-off against Leeds United to ensure the club's swift return to the Premier League.

Also playing that day at Wembley that day was Flynn Downes, the midfielder who spent the 2023/24 campaign at St Mary's on loan from West Ham.

25-year-old Downes originally came through at Ipswich Town and was signed by West Ham from Swansea City in 2022. Downes played 35 times for the Hammers in his first season before being loaned out to the Saints where he scored twice and assisted three in 37 games in all competitions.

Although the deal would essentially be a straight swap between the clubs, McGarth has also suggested it may be structured as two separate deals with Southampton looking to get a fee for Walker-Peters, who still has a year left on his deal.