Europa Conference League champions West Ham United could land Peterborough United defender Ronnie Edwards if the board matches Posh’s £6 million valuation of the player, according to the Peterborough Telegraph.
Edwards was linked with a move away from London Road this summer, with the Hammers and Newcastle United said to be among the parties interested in securing his services, as per TeamTalk, who also claimed that the League One outfit were holding out for £10 million for the England U20 international.
Just two days before transfer deadline day, the Evening Standard revealed that West Ham made a formal bid for the young centre-back but this offer was said to be rebuffed by Peterborough United.
In fact, the Peterborough Telegraph have claimed that David Moyes’ side saw two bids rejected for Edwards during the summer, both worth in the region of £4 million while adding that an offer closer to £6 million could be enough to prise the 20-year-old away from the Cambridgeshire club.
On his Hard Truth Podcast, Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony confirmed that West Ham did make a bid for Edwards but that it was way below his valuation of the player [quotes via West Ham Zone]:
“All through July and August we were told they were keen, but when (owner) David Sullivan sent me his bid, it was for little more than I’d got for selling a 17-year-old (Benji Arthur) to Brentford. West Ham weren’t interested in loaning him back either. They wanted him for the first-team squad.”
To put this into perspective, The Peterborough Telegraph revealed back in September that Benji Arthur moved to Brentford for just under £1 million.
Writer’s View
£6 million seems like a solid price for one of the best young centre-backs in the country. However, given James Trafford moved to Burnley for £19 million despite never having played in a higher division than League One with Bolton Wanderers, £10 million doesn’t seem too excessive.
Nonetheless, West Ham will be getting a bargain should MacAnthony accept a fee in the region of £6 million as Edwards has potential to be worth several times that in a few years.
