Two summers ago, West Ham embarked upon a massive spend-up in the summer window. Tim Steidten, Julen Lopetegui and David Sullivan between them blew approaching £150 million on a group of players now, sadly, infamous for being largely overvalued, underperforming and in most cases, already moved on from the club at huge expense.
Luis Guilherme, Niclas Fullkrug, Jean Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, Aaron Wan Bissaka, Guido Rodriguez all cost eye watering sums and failed spectacularly (or in Kilman’s case ‘is currently failing’) to live up to their billings.
Only David Sullivan’s “pick” – Crysencio Suymmerville – lived up to expectations and in the end generated a big profit. On current showings, Max Kilman would struggle to pin down a fee of even a quarter of the £40 million Lopetegui forked out for him.
And then there’s Mohamadou Kanté. The cheapest, least hyped, most understated buy of that infamous summer. Kanté was an £800,000 ‘punt’, immediately loaned back to his old club Paris FC and hardly seen for a year and a half.
However, I’d suggest somebody at Rush Green knew exactly what they were doing when the young Kanté was presented with a new West Ham contract last October when then still only 20.
That contract was a six year deal, meaning the Hammers now have one of the hottest midfield prospects around with five years left to run on his contract.
Kante signed a new long term contract last October – meaning someone at the club deserves a huge pat on the back
Kanté has proved to be the bargain buy of that 2024 summer, virtually unheralded compared with the £25 million blown on teenager Guilherme and the rest. And whoever had the foresight to give him a new contract last season deserves a serious pat on the back. He’s already become a game-changer, as was evident yesterday from both his unstoppable running and another top goal scored.
Clearly he’s not yet the finished article as illustrated by his poor touch on 89 minutes that led to his red card. However it would seem there’s no limit to this youngster’s potential to impact games in a West Ham shirt for several years to come.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Killman was bought to keep J-Lo happy club captain and priced at £40m.
Has had a couple of games when deemed best thing since sliced bread and captain’s armbands.
Appeared to be ideal choice.
Guilherme was unlucky with managers when played moved around like a chess piece.
Never in his recognised role.
Kante is moving up scale but plays better from bench.
Scarles is a work in progress and Boira needs to be used.
Having £40m of players (Alvarez and Magassa) on naughty step is madness.
Sometimes during season Bowen will need resting (injured) hopefully a backup will come in January.
Player needs to be utility across front line.
Kante has a touch of Patrick Vieira about him. The ball seems to follow him as he is so well placed and reads the game well. Remember him scoring a worldie on You Tube for the 21s a couple of years ago. He will be some player and a season of playing in the Championship will do him the world of good. Taking the Red Card shows he’s got the mentality for top level football – many kids would have frozen. Why Nuno didnt start with Pablo and Kante in what was always going to be a physical game is beyond me. Seriously having doubts about Nuno as a manager these days as pretty much every Hammers fan could see what was about to descend in us in the first half.
Well Luis Guilherme is now playing in the champions league so I suppose you could argue he’s been more successful.
Kante will be some player in a year or two. But as for Kilman, get him out of the team soonest. The guy can’t kick, jump, head, tackle or run fast. Doesn’t leave much!
He is a brilliant player in the making who already makes a difference when he comes on and that really is saying something. Fortunately he suits NES’ teams, as he would have a David Moyes team so he will get plenty of game time & attention.
Saw a bit about David Clough and Taylor. Some of their best players were from lower leagues when at Derby and then Forest (Mc Govern, Mc Farland). They had the ability to spot them young, just like Kante and develop them. I’m sure times have changed blah, blah, blah, but players are out there and now you have British football + Europe to find this potential.
As MT says and more; whoever spotted Kante, should be singled out and given as much responsibility as he/she needs within recruitment. Whatever ambition exists within this club, this is a big part of it.
Credit to Mark Robson for undoubtedly developing this player, along with whoever is helping him. He has made him into the box-to-box midfielder of great potential we are seeing right now.
Not sure how to rate NES, I know he deserves his chance and has worked for it, but I can definitely rate Mark Robson as a football manager, for how he is developing these players and the modern, quick passing, quick thinking style of football he employs.
Taking a punt is one thing but wasting £40m on Kilman is inexcusable. He is a non league player at best and the failure of anyone at West Ham to watch him and ask questions is unbelievable. He cost us so many points before Xmas last season and put us in a position that we couldn’t recover from. He is so bad that he undermines those around him. Dinos and the keeper were immediately much improved when , belatedly, Nuno saw the light . WHY has Nuno suddenly reverted to kind and the nightmare has started again. Golombeckis ? has shown enough promise to deserve a run in the team . It is ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT HE COULDNT BE WORSE !!
He is a young player who is going to make mistakes but he gets stuck in and makes an effort. He is going to be a really good player in a couple of years.
We badly need a leader on the field as the performance against that lot from South London showed. Make him captain and give him the responsibility to shout at the other players whoever they are and lead by example. I know he is young but it could be the making of him.
Now legendary in Docker Derby history
Kanté’s a rough diamond. If those edges can be polished e.g., improve his first touch and distribution, stop dawdling on the ball and getting caught, then I think we potentially have a really good player on our hands.
He’s a real powerhouse, gets forward effortlessly with long strides, creates goals, and he can certainly score them as well.
There’s a really good player in there. He just needs to focus on ironing-out a few wrinkles which he can do.