West Ham United target Isaiah Jones has 'exciting potential' and has shown during his time with Middlesbrough that he could be a threat in the final third of the pitch at the London Stadium, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The Hammers are gearing up for another opportunity to spend big in January, having also parted with more than £160million during the summer transfer window.

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What's the latest news involving Jones?

Although Jones' contract is not due to expire until the summer of 2025, it appears as though West Ham are mulling over whether to test Middlesbrough's resolve by lodging a bid in the coming months.

That is because, according to Football League World, the Hammers and Premier League rivals Crystal Palace are showing a keen interest in the wing-back.

However, the report suggests it will be difficult for either of the London clubs to get a deal over the line as Middlesbrough have no intention of allowing Jones, who has made more than 60 appearances for his current employers, to leave during the January transfer window.

But West Ham and Palace are not the only clubs to have admired the 23-year-old, who has scored two goals and racked up a further three assists this season.

Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Ligue 1 outfit Lyon and reigning Eredivisie champions Ajax, along with Arsenal, were also keen to reach an agreement for the 23-year-old earlier this year.

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What has Pete O'Rourke said about Jones?

O'Rourke believes West Ham have had a lot of joy when signing some of the Championship's standout performers in recent years.

The journalist feels Jones has a bright future ahead of him and, with his electric pace, could cause havoc in the Premier League.

O'Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: "He is another player who has really impressed in the Championship and West Ham have had a lot of success signing players from the Championship and making the step up to the Premier League.

"Isaiah Jones is still a very raw player, but he has real exciting potential and is lightning-quick. He has shown in the Championship that he can score goals and provide goals."

How does Jones compare to Vladimir Coufal?

There are doubts over Coufal's future in east London as he will enter the final six months of his £35,000-per-week contract at the turn of the year, although there is an option for West Ham to extend the agreement until the summer of 2025.

Statistics show that Jones offers more than the 32-cap Czech Republic international in the final third of the pitch and defensively.

According to FBref, the Middlesbrough man has averaged more goals, assists, tackles and blocks per 90 minutes than Coufal since the season got underway.

That was also the case during the 2021/22 campaign, so it could be argued that Jones would be an upgrade on the 30-year-old.

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