Ajax 'hijack West Ham United's deal to sign Manchester City teen Carlos Borges'

The Europa Conference League winners were understood to have agreed a £14m fee with the Citizens to sign the 19-year-old attacker last month.

However, Sky Sports News reports that Borges's move to West Ham has been called off and the teenager is now on the verge of joining Ajax.

The report claims that there were delays in getting the deal over the line for the Hammers due to agent fees and personal terms.

Borges is now said to be heading to Amsterdam for his medical after Ajax swooped in to agree a deal in principle with Man City to sign the Portugal Under-19 international for €20m (£17.2m).

As part of the deal, Man City are understood to have inserted a buy-back option and a 20% sell-on clause.

Borges joined the Citizens' youth system from Sporting Lisbon in 2015 and has since developed into one of the club's brightest prospects, scoring 55 goals and registering 42 assists in 79 appearances from Under-19 to Under-21 level.

The versatile attacker, who primarily operates on the left wing, was named 2022-23 Premier League 2 Player of the Season after scoring 21 goals in 24 games to win the Golden Boot and help Man City Under-21s win their third successive title.

Borges has trained numerous times with Pep Guardiola's first-team squad, but he is now set to depart the Citizens having failed to make a single senior appearance for the club.

West Ham have been left frustrated in the transfer market so far this summer and they are the only Premier League side who are yet to make a single addition ahead of the new season.

David Moyes is keen to spent the £105m recouped from the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal and is hoping to bolster the spine of his squad with a new defender, at least one new midfielder and a new forward.

The Hammers have seen bids for Harry Maguire, Joao Palhinha and Conor Gallagher rejected by Manchester United, Fulham and Chelsea respectively, while talks with Ajax's Edson Alvarez, Man United's Scott McTominay and Juventus' Denis Zakaria are yet to make positive progress.

Meanwhile, West Ham have reportedly ended their interest in Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse as they are unwilling to meet the Saints' asking price.

The Hammers are also understood to have turned down a £17.1m bid from Inter Milan for striker Gianluca Scamacca, but the Serie A club are expected to return with an improved offer.