---
title: "Journalist all but rules out West Ham signing Burnley’s James Tarkowski"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/journalist-all-but-rules-out-west-ham-signing-burnleys-james-tarkowski-e180/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Jake Sanders"
section: "Burnley"
published: "2021-07-24T11:00:17Z"
modified: "2021-07-24T11:00:17Z"
---

# Journalist all but rules out West Ham signing Burnley’s James Tarkowski

**[Jack Rosser](https://www.standard.co.uk/author/jack-rosser), from the Evening Standard, thinks that West Ham will be looking at alterative targets after confirming that James Tarkowski is likely to stay at Burnley.**

The Hammers pushed hard to sign the Clarets defender last summer, and bid [£30m](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/10/west-ham-make-improved-30m-offer-for-burnley-james-tarkowski) for his services, but missed out on signing him due to Burnley’s persistence.

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Tarkowski has now entered the final [12 months](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-tarkowski/profil/spieler/173504) of his deal at Turf Moor, which means West Ham could sign him for considerably less than that amount.

However, Rosser thinks that the 28-year-old, who’s made [159](https://www.premierleague.com/players/8143/James-Tarkowski/stats) Premier League appearances since joining from Brentford, will see out the final year of his contract and become a free agent in 2022.

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He told **[The Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/)**:

*“Tarkowski is someone he \[David Moyes\] likes and pushed hard for last year, but I think that ship has sailed.*

*“He has got a year left on his contract at Burnley, and his plan is to see out that final year at Turf Moor and then move on a free and really open his options, so he’s the one in control.*

*“So, I would be surprised to see Tarkowski make the move down now.”*

This really is a blow for Moyes. Signing a proven Premier League centre-back on the cheap really would have been shrewd business.

And with European football to come and one less centre-back following Fabian Balbuena’s departure, the Hammers boss has his work cut out to improve defence.