West Ham now considering "other options" to "outstanding" £70k-p/w star - transfer insider

West Ham do not fancy their chances of signing Burnley defender James Tarkowski and are starting to turn to other options, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The 29-year-old has been a long-term target for David Moyes, but he looks to be slipping away.

According to the Daily Mirror, West Ham have cooled their interest in Tarkowski because they expect him to join Newcastle United this summer.

The central defender will be a free agent next month when his £70,000-a-week contract expires, with there being next to no chance that he signs a new deal at Burnley following their relegation to the Championship.

In fact, former manager Sean Dyche already confirmed earlier this year that Tarkowski would not be staying at Turf Moor.

“He made it clear he wasn’t going to be signing a new contract,” Dyche was quoted as saying by the MailOnline.

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While Jones is not too sure if Newcastle’s interest in Tarkowski is the reason for West Ham backing off, the transfer insider has told GIVEMESPORT that they are pessimistic about their chances of signing him.

Speaking to GMS, he said: “I’m not sure that’s the reason necessarily, but I don’t think West Ham have had positive feelings that they’ve got a good chance of signing Tarkowski, and that’s why they’re starting to turn towards other options in case it can’t happen.”

While it was a miserable campaign for Burnley in the end, Tarkowski can be happy with his individual performances.

He earned the highest rating in the Clarets’ squad on WhoScored (6.97) and finished the term with the highest average for aerial duels won per game (4.4) following Chris Wood’s move to Newcastle.

Ultimately, Tarkowski did not let his future distract him,