£5 million wage savings at Upton Park

The Hammers have made £5 million available to themselves on the wage bill to help with new signings this summer.

And it looks as though most of that will be used in the bid to tempt Sunderland’s Jack Colback to join the Boleyn boys.

News broke earlier today that the Sunderland midfielder is to be offered around £50k a week to join the Irons.

However, a source has revealed to Claretandhugh exclusively that in fact “it’s nearer £45k or about £5.5 million over a three year contract.

A ClaretandHugh exclusive probe shows that already that £5 million of that  has been released off the Hammers annual wage bill with the departures of  Joe Cole, Jack Collison and George McCartney.

Cole’s combined weekly wage with add-ons was thought to add up to £40,000 per week while Collison and McCartney were closer to £30,000 per week.

This has left sufficient funds to bring in Colback who may well be heralded as the club’s marquee signing having been hailed by Sam Allardyce as the best free signing on the market.

The ending of loan deals with Roger Johnson, Pablo Armero, Antonio Nocerino and Marco Borriello will also push up the amount available on wages as West Ham look to balance the budget while keeping within the Premier League financial fair play rules.