West Ham are setting their sights on securing a loan deal for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips after seeing their attempt to borrow Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal turned down.

With Lucas Paqueta sidelined due to injury until March, David Moyes’ squad is actively seeking a midfield reinforcement.

Manchester City is reportedly demanding a £7 million loan fee for Phillips. The England international has started just two games and made four substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, and it seems that a loan move to West Ham could be beneficial for his prospects, particularly with Euro 2024 on the horizon and his desire to cement his place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

In the midst of this pursuit, Emile Smith Rowe, who has only started twice this season, is intent on staying and fighting for his position at Arsenal, despite interest from Aston Villa, Newcastle, and now West Ham.

Pep Guardiola’s recent acknowledgment that he struggles to envision the 28-year-old Phillips within his squad further underscores the potential move to West Ham.

In a somewhat different domain, West Ham has also achieved success in the transfer market by recruiting Maximilian Hahn from Werder Bremen to serve as the club’s head of technical scouting and analysis, marking an expansion of their backroom staff.