Rewind twelve months and West Ham United head coach Julen Lopetegui was busy dispatching players on loan as deadline day approached, to clear squad space for his own incomings Guido Rodriguez and Carols Soler. Which didn’t work out too well: James Ward Prowse was unceremoniously dispatched to Nottingham Forest and Maxi Cornet to Southampton: Both were returned mid way through the season, unwanted and unused.
The better loan deals arranged by J’Lo at the same time were for young players Freddie Potts and George Earthy who have come back stronger and Premier League ready: Perhaps the same fate awaits young striker Callum Marshall later today.
At the end of their loan spells, James Ward-Prowse, however, has at least found favour with Graham Potter if not yet the fans: Maxi Cornet, however, was unwanted at London Stadium and so was sent on a second loan. The worst side in the Premier League last year, Southampton, returned him unused and unwanted so a second loan was hastily arranged in Serie A at Genoa under Patrick Viera.
Cornet in Serie A for half a season at least attained a degree of success but no full time, permanent deal has been arranged for him. Huge wages of £60k a week have been too much for the Italian side to consider so at present, Maxi Cornet has ‘boomeranged’ back again with no club to play for and no sale looking likely.
West Ham’s high ranking source told Claret and Hugh yesterday that options were limited: We’d asked whether a sale or a contract termination by mutual consent was likely to move Cornet on finally: “Sadly, no on both counts:” Was the reply meaning no suitors are in the wings, nor is Cornet ambitious enough to call it quits on his Hammers contract and find a new side to rebuild his career.
Probably Genoa will try again for a last minute heavily subsidised loan, meaning the Irons will have to pay upwards of £50,000 a week just to send him elsewhere for regular football. Such is the downside of player transfer dealing.
And there’s still two more years on his contract and no end in site. Maxwel Cornet is one Hammer who will most certainly not be sold on deadline day 2025.
A lucky last minute loan seems the best the club can hope for, to save him from kicking his heels on the very back-of the back benches at West Ham.
This was just unlucky to be honest… can’t blame them for giving 60k pretty avg in the prem that injury ruined his career so bad… biggest what if is if that Chelsea goal counted
I don’t understand what happened to him and why he fell so much out of favour.
When we first got him, he looked like an energetic and exciting player. Whenever he came on he looked like a threat.
Then he got injured and his opportunities just dried up. He was never really trusted again. It feels like he must have done something behind the scenes that put coaches off him.
It seems strange that nobody else is interested either and that he didn’t impress at Southampton either. Maybe his injury lots him his pace.
It is sad to see a player just completely fall off like that, because the season before he came to us he certainly knew where the back of the net was.
He got Moysed
This is why you need skilled negotiators when drawing up a contract because whomever thought he was worth £60k a week clearly does not no his Apples from Oranges but then again we have plenty of previous with paying high wages for average or over the hill players..
As for the player himself if he turns up for training makes himself available if selected i have no problem with him because he knows as we all do that he will not get wages like this ever again so who of us in that situation would do any different
Seems a little harsh, Pat. Whilst I don’t disagree that we would benefit from better negotiators (as would any business), £60k per week seemed a fair wage for him when he joined…
We do have previous though, and I wonder if other clubs do too. Truth is, if you want a player to join badly enough (which is normally the case), you have to present favourable terms, and that means adding performance related stuff in is difficult…
I agree also that he should present and keep himself fit – that’s part of his contract, so if he doesn’t, then he’ll be in breach and open to termination.