West Ham, we read last week, were raising their ambitions for incoming signings after pocketing the £85 million from the Fernandes sale. The immediate fall out was to reject a Bosman transfer for defender Dael Fry – who has since joined competitors Birmingham City as the Irons have significantly raised their ambitions.
Of course the problem with trying to attract Premier League-level talent is that most will – understandably – resist dropping down a division.
Being the richest club in the division has its advantages when looking to poach talented replacements from the Championship, however, and the links with Stoke City’s Sorba Thomas as a ‘Summerville replacement‘ are an illustration, hopefully, of the Hammers’ pulling power.
Summerville – nailed on summer departure means West Ham need a replacement
According to footballleagueworld.co.uk Thomas represents exactly the kind of quality recruit that West Ham should be targeting:
“Hammers boss Nuno Espírito Santo will be keen to ensure his squad doesn’t become weaker despite relegation, and adding Thomas to their ranks would go some way to guaranteeing that.
Nuno has swapped between a back three and back four formation across his career, and what system he chooses to deploy with West Ham in the second tier next year, at this stage, remains to be seen.
Though Thomas is capable of playing in either, having deputised as a wing-back as well as a winger across the course of his career, offering a versatility the Portuguese head coach would absolutely value, and something that Summerville cannot offer.
The Hammers should be looking to sign the Championship’s best this summer following relegation, and Thomas would fit the bill and then some.”
Thomas was, as Claret and Hugh wrote earlier, named in the Championship’s ‘team of the season’ and would go down a storm as something of an assist king: Ten goals and twelve assists last season put him head and shoulders above others in the division and it is this, no doubt, which is driving West Ham’s interest.
As a former West Ham academy player, the Irons and Thomas do have history: As undoubtedly the best in the division last season he’s just what the club need to come out on top in the promotion push. Far easier to write a cheque for Thomas than try and convince a Premier League player like Everton’s Dwight McNeil to drop down into the second tier.
However, Thomas won’t be cheap. As the report ends:
“A reunion [with Thomas] in east London could be on the cards this summer, though with a contract running until the summer of 2028, the Potters will have no intention of selling on the cheap, as the Hammers will likely have to stump up a significant amount to lure him back to the capital.”