West Ham are considering a swoop for former Manchester United youngster Dion McGhee, who was released by the Reds last month.
According to our colleagues at the Manchester Evening News, David Moyes is one of a number of managers at home and abroad who are interested in bringing the 19-year-old to their club but the player has yet to make a decision on where his future lies.
Sources close to the teenager have told the MEN that West Ham, Rangers and AZ Alkmaar in Holland are the “frontrunners” to sign McGhee, who joined United at the age of seven and accepted he was too far down the pecking order to get first-team football at the club upon his release earlier this summer.
McGhee said on his release from United: "Since the age of six, all I’ve known is Manchester United. I’ve gone through the youth ranks and learned a lot within the academy.
“I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone at Manchester United Football Club, staff, players, coaches, managers and the fans who have helped and influenced me to become the player I am today.”
The midfielder started in six of the Under-23s' 18 Premier League 2 fixtures this season, including one against West Ham in east London. It’s not known if McGhee signs whether he would join up with Dimitri Halajko’s youngsters at Chadwell Heath or would train with the first team at Rush Green.
The Hammers have shown a willingness to strengthen their youth set up in recent seasons sby signing from other clubs. Players such as Goncalo Cardoso, Xande Silva, Mesaque Dju and Nathan Holland have all arrived from elsewhere. The club also signed Mipo Odubeko from the Old Trafford outfit last December for the under-18s.
The Hammers have tried the Manchester United youngster route for the senior team before but it didn’t quite pan out. Slaven Bilic signed Ashley Fletcher from Old Trafford in 2016 but made only 16 appearances in claret and blue before he was sent out on loan to Middlesbrough, eventually joining them on a permanent deal for £7million.
Elsewhere at the club, the Hammers are expected to allow striker Albian Ajeti to leave the club later this week on loan with Celtic in the Scottish Premiership his likely destination. Football.London understands the loan will include a £5million permanent option to buy if the Swiss striker is a success north of the border.
Moyes has repeatedly stated he wants to bring down the average age of West Ham's squad and sign young, hungry talent with a point to prove. The club has already completed the permanent signing of Tomas Soucek from Slavia Prague for a fee believed to be £19million.
