West Ham have rejected Celtic’s opening bid for Andy Irving — and have now made it clear exactly how much they want for the fan favourite as Graham Potter plans an instant replacement.
Scottish giants Celtic and West Ham United are back on talking terms with a second transfer between the two clubs on the cards.
Brendan Rodgers was furious when the Hammers lured hotshot young striker Daniel Cummings away from Celtic this summer.
West Ham offered to sign Cummings for £500k in January as it became clear the 19-year-old forward would otherwise sign for the east Londoners on a free transfer.
The Bhoys rejected that offer with Rodgers doing his best to convince Cummings to stay at Celtic Park.
The former West Ham managerial target even gave Cummings his Champions League debut in an effort to show him his development would be best-served north of the border.
Celtic’s first move for West Ham’s Irving rejected
It proved futile in the end, though, with West Ham sporting director and the club’s Scottish head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay sealing the free transfer signing.
The striker, who scored 30 goals for Celtic B last season, has not had the best of starts to life with the Hammers, though.
Cummings has announced he has had shoulder surgery and will miss the start of the season, delaying plans to show Graham Potter he is worthy of a place in West Ham’s first team squad moving forward.
The Cummings transfer may not be the only one between Celtic and West Ham this summer.
Scotland midfielder Andy Irving is in Celtic’s sights and there has been a significant development.
The tale of Irving is one of best and strangest in recent times at West Ham.
Hammers fans love nothing more than an underdog story and Irving’s is right up there.
Now it could end in fairy-tale fashion with the 25-year-old getting a big move to Celtic.
Because West Ham have told Celtic how much they want as an opening bid is rejected for fan favourite Irving and Potter is planning an instant replacement.
Former Hearts midfielder has become a cult hero despite barely featuring for the team he’s only at as part of a Tim Steidten-led £1.5m feeder club deal with an Austrian outfit most Hammers fans had never heard of.
West Ham fans, renowned for their wit, christened Irving the Irn-Bru Iniesta in a nod to his Scottish roots.
While it looks unlikely he would ever truly establish himself in West Ham’s first team, Irving is not a joke as a player.
He has actually impressed in cameos with the Hammers.
West Ham tell Celtic how much they want for Irving
Last summer most West Ham fans could be forgiven for forgetting they’d even signed Irving.
The Scot was something of a dirty little secret at West Ham at that time.
Irving’s fellow Scot David Moyes was Hammers boss when the club signed him from SK Austria Klagenfurt before immediately loaning him back.
Steidten led a deal which saw West Ham pay a reported £1.5m for the 24-year-old central midfielder as part of a feeder club partnership.
But there was an air of mystery and an element of the bizarre surrounding Irving at West Ham last year.
The club have never officially unveiled or announced Irving as a signing to this day.
There was barely any mention of the Celtic target as he started pre-season under Julen Lopetegui last term.
A lack of bodies meant Irving was used in most pre-season matches. His underdog story, and some barnstorming friendly goals, saw Irving become an unlikely fan favourite.
Celtic must pay £3.5m as Potter plans instant replacement
He has made a few cameo sub appearances this season and even started against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season.
Potter praised Irving after he scored another pre-season goal when West Ham played Grasshoppers last month.
That may prove to be his last notable act in the claret and blue, though.
West Ham’s owners have revealed they are looking to sell fringe players to make way for new midfielders.
Irving is certainly among that category.
Hammers News understands Celtic have tested the water with an opening bid for the Scot of around £1.75m plus £500k in add-ons.
But it has been rejected with West Ham demanding around £3.5m to let him go.
Fan favourite will be missed but Potter eyes quick replacement
That should not be too much of a problem for Celtic and Irving would be a fantastic signing to play in the Scottish Premiership.
Irving is one of a host of Hammers midfielders for sale including Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez.
The Scot is a hugely popular and down-to-earth character in the Hammers dressing room. So he would be sorely missed by his teammates if he does join Celtic.
Few could begrudge him such an exciting move, though, which would also see him play European football and improve his chances of breaking into the Scotland side.
Excitingly for West Ham, Potter is ramping up his midfield rebuild for if and when Irving and others depart.
Because the Hammers are preparing to imminently make a first offer for a brilliant young midfielder.
Better still West Ham are ‘confident’ a deal will be struck for the star.
