From stories circulating today and with West Ham’s striker predicament, it is clear that there is speculation and rumour widespread that West Ham have again tried to secure supporters’ preferred target Jhon Duran with a huge bid to Aston Villa. On the face of it this would be enormous news if the Colombian was a likely London Stadium recruit after everything that has gone before.
In order to separate fact from fiction, Claret and Hugh contacted our high-ranking source within the club to try and find out the position- so we asked if there was any truth behind the story running today of this ‘mammoth £50 million Jhon Duran bid’.
The reply has highlighted the reality: “We’ve tried, but PSG and a few foreign clubs have outbid us”. So, it would seem that West Ham have tried, and failed, with a pretty enormous bid – although unspecified today – to secure Duran. The lure of Champions League football and eye-wateringly huge amounts of cash is a pretty difficult cocktail for West Ham to match at present.
The reply continued:” We are right up against FFP regulations“- So the Hammers don’t have the scope to increase. Looks like Duran will not be heading toward London Stadium any time soon.
In fairness, the Claret and Hugh source within the club then elaborated that :” We never mention to supporters failed bids as it frustrates them”. Which is true enough, but at the same time it is better to know West Ham have been trying to mix it with the biggest clubs in Europe- even if they have failed.
The usual replies will no doubt arrive on our ‘comments’ section from supporters with 20/20 hindsight complaining ‘if only’ about what West Ham should have done in the summer window. However, I’d take heart from the communications.
It means there IS money to spend, even if not enough to land Duran at reportedly over £50 million. And it is clear there is a huge acknowledgement of the need to bring in a top striker – not just a £10 million ‘unknown’ as was reported by one or two other sources again this morning. Finding one who doesn’t get snapped up by the likes of PSG or Arsenal is a challenge especially in January but there’s still time: Sadly they won’t be called ‘Duran’ though. That much seems pretty certain.
Sullivan would know that West Ham were never going to sign Duran.
No point in getting or hoping to get supporters’ preferred targets.
Reality is that we need to pursue the preferred targets of Graham Potter. Players that fit into his plans for the West Ham Way of the immediate future.
West Ham gave Julen Lopetegui an unprecedented number of additions to his squad as he took charge. Poor guy didn’t have a clue let alone a plan. If David Moyes had been backed with an extended contract and a similar level of investment, we would have been looking at European qualification yet again.
I’m pretty sure that Potter has identified the players he would like to join the project and that list will not necessarily contain the same names as the supporters’ list.
Our board is reactionary and do not invest from a steady platform. They panic buy and miss out on good signings trying to save minimal money. Duran being a prime example they will never change
Sullivan is a cancer at this club that needs to be cut out PERMANENTLY
Sulli trying to bump up fan interest after his latest debacle of running this club.
We once bid for Neymar but that never happened. All bluff and bluster from Sulli.
We were supposed to be pushing for top six after the stadium move and all our failures have one constant – D Sullivan Esq
More lies
There is a fantastic young Greek player playing for Olympiakos. His is 17 years old and playing on the 1st team. His name is Charalampos Kostoulas and plays the forward/striker position. He has scored 5 goals in 14 games this season.
He has great pace, fantastic control and is excellent in the air as was demonstrated this past weekend when he scored 2 goals coming off the bench in the 2nd half.
He can probably be purchased for about $20 million and would be an excellent addition to West Ham
Sullivan should have paid full asking for Duran last summer but typical West Ham he don’t wanna spend that much it’s his fault and no one else’s also for hiring that amateur manager and steidten get the striker fans want and should’ve had at the start
We are a joke, like really we are. On what planet was £50M thought likely to succeed. He’s valued at North of £60M now and I saw a valuation of £71M recently.
The time to buy him was last window when he was closer to £40M but we were not prepared to pay not too much more than we’d offered – And he wanted to come then too whereas now he can go to PSG if he likes.
Somebody actually said: No not prepared to pay a bit more, go and get Fullkrug as a cheaper option instead.
It’s actually an embarrassment that we went back in for him, wouldn’t pay a bit more when we could afford him, didn’t have the nous to know that £50M is not nearly enough now.
We will never attain our potential while such pathetic decisions are taken, Duran wasn’t even the worst decision Lopetegui was. I despair.
Well, if we’re looking to bid big on a promising young forward, then go £30-40 million for Conrad Harder. He’s the heir apparent to Viktor Gyokeres (thanks Ditherin’ Dave for turning down that one…) and is getting interest from top European sides already so if we could land him then a couple years down the line could easily be doubling our money on him.
Yep, worth emphasising, Steidten wanted Gyokeres when he was about £17M at Coventry. Moyes decided not to. I wouldn’t like to hazard a guess at what he’s worth now, 57 goals in 58 games last time I looked. We’ve done it twice.
When are people going to realise we are not in Europe anymore. We’re not going to attract the best players.
He was ready to come here last window. Got himself in trouble with Villa for making a video of himself with crossed arms.
We rarely have done.
Always feel uneasy about these big money bids, especially for strikers, eg., watched that Greaney slaughter Spurs centre back Dragusan (25 mil) all game. Dragusan should have been red carded for his treatment of the striker. At 30, it’s a now too late for Greaney, but what my point Is there’s talent in this country in the national league, and we don’t need an outsider to find them for us. Jamie Vardy for eg.
Aha the good old “we tried” mantra rears its ugly head and with that simple two word statement is the proof that sulli most certainly is back in charge of transfers. I think we can all guess the player we bring in will be both injury prone and desperately underwhelming
It’s hard to know what’s true in the transfer window. I thought he was a big risk for the money in the Summer with so little game time. He’s scored some good goals since then but still doesn’t play regularly and why would Villa sell him if he’s that good? Huge risk surely. Hopefully it shows there is money to invest but maybe don’t blow it all on one player?
You appear to be getting your answers Martin (below) and I imagine it’s not quite what you expected ?
Bidding 50m for a player worth twice that doesn’t equal an offer. Sullivan really does think the fan base are all 10 year old boys that believe his rubbish transfer activity.
We’ve known all along Fulkrug is a cart horse and the most injury prone player in the country so go out and sign someone, anyone that can at least stand up front and have some presence. Watch out for ‘serious interest’ in Rashford for the year 5 kids to all buzz off. 1) he’s rubbish 2) he’s rubbish 3) wants 300 grand a week.
Sullivan trying to make himself look good…same as the Amorim manager debacle the cost of a flight was pocket change but it made Sullivan look like he was serious but everyone who is anyone already new it was a nosense
Never? It’s Sully’s mantra.
How come we can pay 50 million for Duran but not 20 million for Jonathan David?
Because Jonathan David is currently running his contract down at Lille. This summer, without clubs having a pay a transfer fee, him and his agent can demand big signing on fees, and a bigger wage to book.
He will likely end up at a Champions League club, on £200k plus. Can we afford a transfer fee, signing on bonus and £200k a week, with the knock on impact that will have with the likes of Bowen, our currently highest paid player?
FWIW I can see there being a compromise being reached, but a West Ham side in the wrong half of the table, or a Champions League club… I know where I’d go…
David’s wages wouldn’t be a problem after June as Ings/Antonio’s wages amount to £230,000 and neither are likely to be at the club.
Sullivan will be infuriated that this information has been leaked NOT,the only part that would get to Sullivan is if somehow this so called offer was accepted by Villa
We tried Heard that line before
It’s the same every January from Sullivan… “We tried”
£50m bid rejected for Darwin Nunez
£50m bid rejected for Kalvin Phillips
£50m bid rejected for Raphinha
Same old answer from Sullivan he’s the biggest problem we have at West Ham hopefully he will sell up soon and things will improve with new owners ????
ae you complaining we didnt sign kalvin phillips for 50 million???????