CHELSEA midfielder Danny Drinkwater’s move to West Ham may depend on Luka Modric joining Inter Milan.
That’s the suggestion of the Daily Mirror.
Drinkwater made just four Premier League starts for the Blues last season and is set to find his minutes restricted under new manager Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge this term too.
But in order for West Ham to land the former Leicester City man, they are said to be hoping for Inter to land Modric in order to trigger a domino effect of signings.
The Croatian, who was given the Golden Ball at the World Cup for his role in helping his country to their first ever final, has been linked with a surprise summer switch to the Serie A despite remaining a pivotal member of a Madrid team that has won the last three successive Champions League titles.
And if Italian giants Inter landed the 33-year-old then that could allow Chelsea to swoop for Matias Vecino.
Maurizio Sarri has been chasing the Uruguayan as he seeks to further strengthen his squad, with Jorginho his only significant recruit so far.
It is said that Chelsea will not sanction Drinkwater’s departure unless they can get a midfield replacement in despite the England international’s back-up role.
Chelsea would want West Ham to pay Drinkwater’s £130,000-a-week wages in full and also pay out a £3million loan fee, the Mirror say.
West Ham have had a busy summer so far, bringing in the likes of Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko and Jack Wilshere but Manuel Pellegrini is still seeking more fresh faces in the middle despite spending in excess of £100m.
Their hopes of signing Drinkwater may have been damaged by Real Madrid’s insistence that Modric is going nowhere, however.
Club president Florentino Perez recently declared: “The only way Modric leaves is if they pay €750m [£669m].”
Chelsea, meanwhile, are set for a busy final few days of the window and will hope to line up a goalkeeper in the increasingly likely event that Thibaut Courtois joins Real Madrid.
The Belgian goalkeeper is currently AWOL after failing to report for training yesterday alongside compatriot Eden Hazard with it believed the shot-stopper has remained in Belgium in an attempt to force a transfer.