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West Ham are interested in signing Celta Vigo midfielder Stanislav Lobotka in a double transfer raid on the Spanish side, as they are also keen to take nine-goal forward Maxi Gomez from them as well, as reported exclusively by TEAMtalk.

What's the word, then?

Much has been made of the Hammers' pursuit for Uruguay international Gomez, with a report from Sky Sports suggesting that they are willing to meet the striker's £43.2m release clause before loaning him back to the struggling La Liga side - Celta Vigo want to ensure they have Gomez available to aid their battle for survival.

However, the inclusion of Lobotka in this deal is a new revelation, and one that would see the east Londoners get a fantastic midfielder who has also been courted by other Premier League clubs such as Everton, Bournemouth and Leicester, according to the aforementioned TEAMtalk report.

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24-year-old Lobotka is an impressive figure in central midfield, often catching the eye with his composure, passing and dribbling skills that can get him out of tight areas, and he would be an excellent signing if West Ham do manage to get it over the line.

Who would be affected by his arrival?

If Lobotka were to arrive at the London Stadium, the Slovakian would surely immediately threaten Mark Noble's position in the team.

The Irons' captain has been a regular feature alongside the outstanding Declan Rice so far this season, but at 31 years of age, Manuel Pellegrini may want a younger face to fill that role, as well as a better player in general - Noble is a hero at West Ham, but he perhaps shouldn't still be in the team week in, week out.

Another man whose future at the club would be thrown into serious doubt is Pedro Obiang. The Spanish midfielder has featured sporadically under Pellegrini so far this season, making just nine Premier League starts (as per WhoScored) - he also made the XI in the FA Cup game against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, but struggled and was taken off at half-time in what turned out to be a 4-2 loss for the Hammers.