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West Ham United are interested in Newcastle United midfielders Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden, per Chronicle Live.

What’s the word?

The Hammers are looking to strengthen their squad this summer and have been linked with a number of players.

Football FanCast understands that the club are interested in acquiring Aleksandar Mitrovic from Fulham and have also been touted as potential suitors for West Bromwich Albion forward Salomon Rondon.

Hayden has expressed a desire to leave Newcastle as he wishes to move closer to his family down south; manager Rafael Benitez is thus willing to countenance a sale, the report claims.

Benitez, though, also faces an uncertain future and transfer business, per Chronicle Live, is subsequently on hold until he commits to the club.

The Hammers are interested in signing Hayden but they also hold a long-term interest in Shelvey, per the report, and could look to secure his signature.

The latter is currently the Magpies’ highest-earner, with a weekly wage of £80,000.

The London club, however, are only said to be likely to bid for one Newcastle player this summer.

An expensive back-up

Neither Hayden nor Shelvey are likely to play very much if they move to east London.

Declan Rice is the undisputed first-choice in central midfield alongside Mark Noble and, while there is a need to secure a back-up, it seems like this would be a remarkably expensive way of going about it.

Each player is seen as important by Newcastle and Benitez would need owner Mike Ashley to demand a big fee that he could reinvest.

Dealing with Ashley, of course, is complicated even for the staff he employs.

West Ham would do well to look elsewhere, then, otherwise they risk being out of pocket for a player who is unlikely to make more than 15 appearances next season.