West Ham have been told that they can sign Fulham playmaker Tom Cairney for £20 million this summer, but only if they do not gain promotion this season.
The Mirror reports that West Ham will battle Watford and Newcastle for the player’s signature this summer.
Cairney has been a long-term target for Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez and is attracting interest from other Premier League clubs.
Fulham are chasing down Cardiff for the second automatic promotion place in the Championship.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s side currently sit third, seven points behind Cardiff with eight games remaining this season.
Fulham failed to secure promotion last season after losing to Reading in the play-offs, but have earned rave reviews for the football they have been playing this time around.
Cairney, a mainstay in the team, has been key to the club’s success this season and could jump at the chance to play in the Premier League next season, with or without Fulham.
A deal from West Ham’s point of view is likely to depend on whether or not they themselves are playing Premier League football next season.
