Whether it is a hangover from the previous administration or perhaps just ‘par for the course’ with Premier League football in 2024, West Ham do appear to have a recurring theme of struggling to ship out players who are surplus to requirements because the player’s own wage demands preclude a sale.
Such was the case with Danny Ings as we reported last week, with the striker’s own wage demands needing to be subsidised by the Hammers – and even then the player himself decided against a move, apparently to ‘stay and fight for his place’. Which, call my cynical, probably translates in to ‘ I’m staying here and taking the cash until my contract runs down’.
News yesterday of the same issue with one of our other targeted ‘exit-bound’ players whose wage demands are stopping a sale. France News outlet Nice Matin reported yesterday that the only thing stopping Nayef Aguerd’s return to Nice was, similarly, the player’s salary demands.
The French club reportedly hold an interest in Aguerd, who needs to be moved on by West Ham before they can activate plans to bring in new centre backs to partner £40 million signing Max Kilman. The Moroccan centre back has proven erratic during his time at London Stadium, suffering an injury at the start of his career in Claret and Blue and then a whole series of nervy performances during the last campaign. Shipping 74 goals, West Ham had the worst defensive record of any of the ‘survivors’ in the Premier League so it is quite clear that wholesale change is required.
Even if a wage subsidy is required to move Aguerd on, it would be a price with paying to reshape our back four but then, that is easy for me to say! A tricky problem with potentially three or four unwanted players sitting on our bench all season, earning huge sums and being unwanted by Lopetegui.
augerd isn’t actually on that much by premier league standards, rumoured around 50-60k
the problem is augerds demands for his new contract, not his current pay
so i can’t see west ham footing that part of the wage, if augerd and the club can’t come to an agreement then that just means he’d prefer to stay at west ham
fine by me
Has anyone added up the money that moyes spent and lost in transfers? Sorry but my calculator exploded when I put the numbers in.
And then there’s the Hugill mystery. I’d love to know what happened there
I am sure that the motivation of players is complex but wanting to prove that the previous manager did not give them a fair chance is probably part of the motivation
Also someone like Ings will want to be sure (after Villa and West Ham) that where he goes he will get enough game time
Let us just be patient and wait to see how it all pans out by the Transfer deadline
Aguerd is still a classy player and should be kept if 30 million plus is not offered . With Ings valued at just 6 million and on too high a salary , Westham would be forced to effectively give him away for free . For the sake of one year Westham should keep him as a spare . Zouma , same as Ings , but also can’t pass a medical . Keep him for his last year as a spare . If I own a junky old car worth nothing , I drive it until it dies .
IF Aguerd really wants to go (as apparently quoted) then HE should be willing to lower his wage demands and be thankful for the last 2 seasons worth of very high wage packets he has received. If he doesn’t lower his demands then it will be his own fault and therefore he should carry on putting in proper shifts on the pitch until such transfer materialises.
Spare a thought for Aguerd who under Moyse was defending for 80 minutes a game.
Under such pressure mistakes will be made.
Any top defender would struggle under such constant pressure.
He should be allowed to flourish under the expected possession based football WH will be playing this season.
He is a very good player but just hasn’t been able to prove himself.
Fully agree with your observation, Aguerd is a classy defender but as you say, defending for long periods of time during matches lead’s to lack of concentration and mistakes. Changing the mindset and a less defensive policy should create better defending displays and hopefully, he recaptures his Moroccan form, with Kilman they could form a formidable partnership so I hope he stays at least until January and gives Lopetegui a chance.
Am I missing something here? He’s a defender ain’t he so isn’t he supposed to DEFEND
I don’t think Ings is staying for the money. He’ll have made loads during his career already, and it’s suggested that his wages would be subsidised anyway. I think he feels he has a point to prove and a manager who might give him that chance.
The trouble is, transfers are so complicated now with all the representatives and agents and clauses and bonuses, that we only know half the story, if that.
I’d doubt that Ian,as he is on £125 k per week, but hope you are right.
I think this may be the problem with trying to get a few million off the transfer fee but offer high wages. I think it would be better to pay asking price but give less exorbitant salaries. But it’s easy to spend other people’s money……
I think to get shot they will need to agree to pay them some sort of fee because it will really hinder progression if we have these players that are either crocked or don’t want to play for us. It’s a new start.
Ings is only staying put because of the money he earns he knows he has no future at our club and the chances are he won’t even be on the bench but he is more than happy to be picking up his wages each week if he had any self respect he would jump at the chance to join another team where he could be playing most of the games that doesn’t seem important to him it’s the money that is all that matters to ings he’s just a blood sucking has been and he knows it
Wasn’t it reported here that Ings was offered the same wages to go to Southampton though? No idea if true
And this gives you the answer as to why they come to our club. The hideous wages we pay to the least worthy players and refuse a pay rise to the likes of loyal servant Coufal.
That with the London lifestyle is their only interest. We must stop paying such huge amounts of money to players who don’t want to come here, so we keep offering them so much money they can’t say no as they’re laughing at us.
This was the case with Zouma. He did not want to come here, He thought the club was below him after Chelsea, but the deal-breaker was the money.
It makes me so angry that we penny-pinch on transfer fees for obviously suitable players who may not be a ‘name’ (who Sullivan loves so much over loyalty and graft) but end up throwing money at mercenaries. The longer it takes for them to say yes should be a clue. Took Bowen about 5 minutes.
Honestly would rather have a less flashy player who will play his nuts off for the club, like Bowen, Soucek, Coufal, Ward-Prowse, etc and get better with coaching – now that we actually have good coaches!
Where do people like you get off with this rubbish “He thought the club was beneath him…”? You know that do you? You think Paqueta, Kudus, Emerson etc came here because of their love of all things West Ham? Jeez 🙄
Get you completely but no thanks to moyes we lost millions on sales and buys .. soucek and jwp can go anytime way overpriced and not good enough for us now.