West Ham launch improved offer for ambitious £30m defender

West Ham have raised their offer for Burnley defender James Tarkowski to £30m, according to reports.

Tarkowski’s future at Burnley has come into question recently, with the defender targeting a return to the England national team.

The centre-back recently added fuel to the fire surrounding a potential exit when admitting he wants to play at the highest level.

“For me, with the age I am coming into my prime years and wanting to progress, I want to go for the top level,” he told the Telegraph earlier this week.

“I want to play at the best level I can, club football and internationally. I want to test myself against the best. We will see what happens.

“I just want to play at the top level and if that opportunity came I don’t think it is something I could turn down.

“Champions League and playing for your country, playing in big tournaments, is playing at the top level, so that’s what I would want to do if the opportunities came.”

 

No Champions League contenders have come forward for him, but West Ham are trying to tempt him away from Turf Moor.

Burnley recently rejected a bid of around £25m from West Ham for Tarkowski. Some reports claimed they wanted around double that amount.

However, West Ham’s revised offer has now come in – and it is worth £30m, according to the Telegraph.

Moyes wants deal done quick; Dyche keen to keep Tarkowski

The report claims that David Moyes wants to get the deal over the line before their first game of the new season on Saturday. West Ham will face Newcastle in that game, and want to get off to a good start.

Having a better defensive record will be crucial to their hopes of a better season this time around. West Ham narrowly avoided relegation last season, so need to shore up at the back.

Tarkowski has been identified as the ideal profile to do just that – and Burnley manager Sean Dyche has admitted he won’t be able to stand in the player’s way if the right offer comes in.

“I am certainly not in the business to recommend that our best players go out the building, quite obviously,” Dyche said.

“Eventually there gets to a level, if that level is met then things change, but until that level is met then I have no other thoughts that James Tarkowski and other players who I deem to be very good players will still be here, operating for us.”