West Ham chasing Hibernian transfer deal - West Brom, Blackburn Rovers were previously linked | OneFootball

West Ham United are in the race for a Scottish ace from Hibernian, with West Brom, Hull, and Blackburn previously having interest...

West Ham United are going to be an interesting club to follow this summer, with plenty of transfer work required and eyes on Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership already for targets.

Relegation has thrust West Ham United into one of the most fascinating rebuilds in the English game. After 14 years in the Premier League, the Hammers are heading into the Championship with major financial and sporting decisions to make, as revenues are expected to fall sharply and player sales become inevitable.

According to The Athletic, in the hours following their relegation on May 24, West Ham "must" raise £150 million in player sales to help combat dropping into the Championship. It explains why the scale of turnover could be enormous. Premier League-quality assets such as Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes, and others are already attracting interest.

West Ham need significant sales to balance the books, making this summer one of the most important in the club's recent history. Yet there is also opportunity. The club have opted to retain Nuno Espírito Santo, a coach with a proven Championship promotion record, and parachute payments should allow West Ham to assemble one of the division's strongest squads.

Hibernian's Josh Mulligan emerges as West Ham United target

Whether they bounce back immediately or face a longer stay in the second tier will depend partly on sales and culture, with the rot setting in something they simply must avoid. Few clubs in the English pyramid have more work ahead of them, or a more intriguing summer on the horizon.

But the other factor will depend entirely on recruitment and the quality they manage to bring in, with the Hammers needing depth and quality to mount a serious promotion push. Automatic promotion has to be the aim for a club of their size, infrastructure, and resources.

It's been revealed by journalist Ben Jacobs that West Ham have made an initial enquiry about Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan. Hull City, West Brom, and Blackburn Rovers have eyed Mulligan previously, with the trio linked back in March of last year.

Nothing materialised and the 23-year-old left Dundee to join Hibernian for compensation in June of last year. Jacobs adds that there has been no bid yet as West Ham want to clarify outgoings first.

He also states that the midfielder is only recently back from an ankle injury but is attracting interest from England outside of the Hammers. He has not yet been capped by Scotland, albeit was an unused substitute during October's World Cup qualifiers.

Josh Mulligan is the sort of signing Nuno Espirito Santo needs

Mulligan is an athletic utility player, capable of playing in various midfield roles in the centre of the pitch but also as a wing-back or full-back as well. Predominantly a defensive or central midfielder, he missed 13 of the final 15 games with that ankle issue.

At Dundee, he scored six and assisted 10 in 122 matches, while his record for Hibs has been even better. Mulligan has three goals and five assists in 33 appearances since joining the club last summer, with the versatile player penning a four-year deal with the club.

The 23-year-old is clearly an attractive option for a West Ham side facing a significant squad rebuild following relegation. Given his ability to cover so many areas, he could be two signings in one as he would offer valuable depth across multiple positions without requiring several separate signings.

Naturally, in a demanding Championship campaign, flexibility like that can often prove to be invaluable over a 46-game season. At 23, Mulligan also fits the profile of a player with room to develop, while his work rate, athleticism, and adaptability would suit the intensity required to compete for promotion.

He is a player that should make others play better around him, while having his best years ahead of him. That makes plenty of sense for this West Ham United side.