“SHOCKING TWIST! Fabrizio Romano Drops BOMBSHELL on West Ham: DOUBLE Midfield NIGHTMARE as £34M and £8M Stars SLIP AWAY in Jaw-Dropping Deals!”

After initially targeting Mads Hermansen – and with reports from Denmark suggesting West Ham had already agreed personal terms with Leicester’s goalkeeper – the imminent arrival of John Victor has sparked yet another wave of criticism aimed at unpopular chairman David Sullivan.

Sullivan has already allowed Mohammed Kudus to join Tottenham Hotspur this summer and sanctioned the divisive signing of 33-year-old free agent Callum Wilson.

Now, the news that West Ham are set to secure John Victor in a deal worth roughly £8.5 million only fuels the argument that Sullivan lacks the ambition to elevate the club to the next level.

On Tuesday morning, Fabrizio Romano delivered his famous “here we go” for John Victor to West Ham United.

But that wasn’t the only transfer he felt was on the verge of completion.

Ardon Jashari can now be removed from Kyle Macaulay’s list of midfield targets, with the Club Brugge playmaker heading to AC Milan.

According to the Express’ Ryan Taylor, Jashari “politely declined” West Ham’s offer. The 2023 Europa Conference League winners had tried to hijack the deal when Milan’s move for the Swiss international seemed in doubt in late June.

However, Jashari had always intended to leave Club Brugge only for an established, elite European club.

Even though AC Milan have endured a challenging decade, they remain a seven-time European champion – a dream destination for the midfielder.

Romano reiterated that Jashari “only ever wanted to join” the Italian giants, and that dream is now about to be realised, with Milan reaching a £34 million agreement with Brugge.

Ironically, on the same day West Ham moved closer to finalising what some might label a low-cost, low-ambition deal for John Victor, the Daily Mail reported that manager Graham Potter’s chase for a major midfield target could be thwarted by financial limitations.

While Jashari has long since ruled out a move to the London Stadium, Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey remains a live target.

However, as Hammers News recently revealed – and the Mail has now confirmed – Villa are holding out for more than £40 million.

Similar to Hermansen, whose valuation exceeds £20 million, Ramsey’s price tag may prove too rich for Sullivan’s taste, potentially forcing West Ham to settle for cheaper and less high-profile options.

Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott is also likely beyond reach, as is Southampton’s £30 million-rated Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes.

Reports of talks with Juventus for former Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz appear inaccurate, but even if true, the costs involved make that deal equally improbable.

Another potential midfield option, Raphael Onyedika – Jashari’s teammate at Club Brugge – is in no rush to leave, despite being open to a Premier League move.

As West Ham cool their pursuit of Hermansen, another Leicester City player admired by the club is instead heading to Turkey.

Both Romano and Ben Jacobs report that Besiktas are set to sign Wilfred Ndidi for around £8 million.

Jacobs also claims that Bilal El Khannouss is on the radar of both West Ham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Besiktas side.

In short, while West Ham close in on John Victor, they continue to miss out on higher-profile targets like Jashari and Ndidi, with their transfer activity reflecting a summer where financial caution appears to be outweighing ambition.