Watford defender Craig Dawson is expected to complete his move to West Ham this week. The transfer fee is believed to be between £2m-£3m and the player has already agreed personal terms with the Championship club keen to get the 30-year-old’s £35,000 per week wages off their annual bill.
David Moyes has highlighted the defence as a key area to strengthen going into the rest of the season and the manager is said to be keen on Dawson despite the Will Salthouse connection and the obvious suggestion that this is an agent pick.
West Ham are likely to match the three years left on the defender’s contract at Watford. The player has yet to sign a contract so nothing is definite until he puts pen to paper but it now seems only a matter of time before that happens this week.
On Said Benrahma West Ham and Brentford have agreed a transfer fee understood to be £18m plus up to a further £12m in add-ons.
The player in Holland on International duty with Algeria and due to play Mexico tomorrow at the Kyocera Stadium in Hague in an international friendly.
He has yet to agree personal terms with the Hammers but he is understood to want a five-year contract with significant pay rise on current basic plus appearance bonuses and other add-ons. Benrahma will be released from International duty after Tuesday with some reports suggesting a medical could take place as early as Wednesday.
Claret and Hugh understand that Will Salhouse remains involved in the deal despite Benrahma recently changing agents.
Again, it’s not done until it’s done and until he puts pen to paper he is not a Hammer just yet despite premature reports to the contrary.
30 year olld average central defender who selling club are desperate to get off their books who’s on a 3 year contract.
Step forward the club that just keeps giving.
Lol Dave. If it wasn’t so true..
Agree twice consecutively relegated Dawson on a 3-year contract is not the answer to Hammers defensive woes!
Need a proven PL quality leader at centre half to organise the existing players, + Manning or Henry in at left back & Benrhama to improve the squad NOW.
Stop dithering Sullivan & Moyes get these signings done!
Sean – His name is Saïd Benrahma not Benhrami.
I know, the auto-correct keeps on changing it to Benhrami because of Valon 😉 all sorted You knew know I meant
Probably paying too much in wages for Dawson, but lets be fair, he’ll only be 4th choice. As for Benrahma I’m sure we would sign him if he wasn’t in Holland.
I know that there is a lot of negative sentiment about Dawson – but reading between the lines one of the reasons why Tomori didnt join was because he was not guaranteed first team football – now even Issa Diop has to win back his place from Balbuena – if Dawson just provides reliable cover from the bench then I will be happy with that
I agree Zahamoore. I know I’m massively in the minority but I like Dawson and don’t mind him as a signing at all. Someone on here mentioned that he’s not the answer to our defensive woes but Moyes seems to have already found the answer to those as we look pretty solid with the 3 central defenders. Dawson just adds to the strength in depth in those positions.
I understand where you are coming from but we don’t need someone warming the bench we need no one to be a guaranteed starter all to be fighting to start. Dawson is a signing because we screwed up every other one.
Spot on. My thoughts exactly. We also can bring Winston Reid back in December when the MLS season ends. He is under contract until 2023/24 (not sure which) so we may as well use him as nobody will pay money for him with his injury record will they?
I join Alan in the minority. Need a solid replacement for injuries, though having some of the academy lads would be my preference. Dawson will put in a shift and, like all our defenders, will look better behind Soucek and Rice.
£18 million + £12 million in add ons???!!! Please, this is a joke, start looking at decent English players in the championship & league one, cheaper option, willing to work their socks off to prove themselves & won’t be swanning off on international duties getting injured or having to self isolate because rather than actually playing they’ve been partying, don’t give a damn if that sounds “racist” just take a look at the latest international break “casualties” makes no sense to invest in so many foreign players that go off for international games when it can cause such disruption to the home aquad.