Burnley reject second James Tarkowski offer as West Ham transfer troubles continue

Burnley have rejected an offer of £30 million from West Ham United for James Tarkowski as the Hammers continue their pursuit of the England international.

Sky Sports claim the Turf Moor club are holding firm in their valuation of Tarkowski, with West Ham making two separate offers for the 27-year-old this week. The first one, believed to be an up front bid of £20 million plus £10 million in add-ons or £23 million up front, was rejected as has the second offer of £30 million

Leicester City are also thought to be interested in Tarkowski, who has spent the last four seasons at Turf Moor, but Burnley’s valuation of the player at £50 million could put off potential suitors.

This summer transfer window has been a turbulent one for West Ham, with the sale of Grady Diangana prompting an outcry from fans and even club captain Mark Noble who wished to see the 22-year-old stay at the London Stadium.

In an inflammatory tweet, Noble said that he was “gutted, angry and sad” that Diangana had been allowed to join West Brom, leading to the sense of underlying disgruntlement at the direction West Ham are heading in as a club.

Having finished in 16th place in the Premier League last season, avoiding relegation by just five points, the Hammers have failed to make a single signing this summer (excluding the permanent signing of Tomas Soucek after a loan agreement made in January).

Their pursuit of Tarkowski highlights how desperate West Ham are for new additions, particularly in defensive positions, with the Hammers’ defensive record one of the worst in the Premier League last season.

Tarkowski is a proven operator at Premier League level, but the fact Burnley have slapped a £50 million price tag simply means they don’t want to sell him. It’s designed to make any potential suitors disappear.

If West Ham end up paying that sort of money for a 27-year-old who only has two England caps to his name, it would be a sign of their sheer desperation at this stage of the transfer window.

There is little doubt Tarkowski would be an upgrade on West Ham’s current options, but £50 million could be spent so much more wisely in this transfer market where some clubs are desperate for sales due to the economic climate.