West Ham and Newcastle United target £10m 'animal' dazzling in Championship

West Ham have joined Newcastle United in 'keeping tabs' on impressive Ipswich Town left-back Leif Davis ahead of the summer transfer window. The defender is leading the assist chart in the Championship this term and has been a key member of Kieran McKenna's high-flying side this season.

talkSPORT report that Davis is a 'target' for the Hammers and the Magpies, especially if Ipswich Town don't manage to secure promotion this season. The club sit third in the Championship but are level on points with Leeds United in the second automatic promotion spot.

Davis signed for Ipswich Town from Leeds United in 2021 for a fee of £1.2 million but his value now is expected to be closer to the £10 million mark, according to OneFootball. Emerson has impressed for the Hammers in the left-back role this season but the club could still be looking for a long-term replacement for Aaron Cresswell and, at just 24 years old, Davis could meet that brief.

The player came through the Leeds United academy but spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Bournemouth, where he started to show his true potential - manager Scott Parker labelled him as an 'animal' during his time on the South Coast.

Davis seems destined for the Premier League and McKenna was recently asked whether he thought the defender would reach those heights. He said: "I think he certainly can. I don't have any doubts about that. He's still a young player who is only in his second season of regular senior football though. He's got a long way to go, a lot to learn, a lot to improve on.

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"But if you ask me 'has he got the ingredients, the attributes and the potential to play at the next level and do well at the next level?' The answer is certainly yes."

Newcastle United could pose serious competition to West Ham however, given the fact that Davis was born and raised in the North East. That could provide the Magpies with some serious pulling power.

Last summer Davis told The Sun: “I’ve always been a huge fan and had a season ticket at St James’ Park for years. When I first went to watch them there was Ryan Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini. Then there was Yohan Cabaye and Gabriel Obertan.

“My favourite games were the European nights when I went up there with my dad and brother. Hopefully a chance might present itself to get a few Champions League games this season.”