West Ham have been drawn into a six-way Premier League fight to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Aaron Mooy following the Terriers’ relegation, according to The World Game.
The Australia international was often Huddersfield’s best player when he was fit, but found himself less effective under David Wagner or Jan Siewert following a knee injury, yet was still able to score three goals and assist one.
Since being relegated, however, the £50,000-a-week midfielder has seen his future somewhat cast into doubt, as new owner Phil Hodgkinson is thought to have conceded that he cannot afford to keep the club’s highest earner on the books following his takeover at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The World Game now feel Hodgkinson may look to cash in on the 28-year-old for $27million (£21.3m), despite previous owner Dean Hoyle valuing Mooy as high as $75million (£59.2m) during his time in control.
What has helped to bring the figure down drastically is that Mooy has now entered the final year of his contract at Huddersfield, and manager Siewert is expected to be in favour of a quick resolution to his player’s future.
Siewert is also keen to rebuild his side as the Terrier’s look to secure a return to the top-flight, and any funds raised by Mooy’s exit would likely go towards his fraught mission.
The general feeling coming out of the club is also that the player will be sold to a Premier League side this summer.
If we are interested in making a move for the 5 ft 8 box-to-box midfielder, though, we would face opposition from Watford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle, Southampton and Leicester City. Although none of the sides understood to be in the mix have yet made an official approach.
During Huddersfield’s relegation campaign, Mooy made 29 appearances in the Premier League, in which he averaged 2.4 tackles, 1.7 key passes and 1.7 shots per ninety minutes, according to WhoScored.
The Irons have been linked with a move for Mooy in the past, as well.
