Sam Allardyce has been the prime mover to bring Darren Fletcher to West Ham United.
The Manchester United player is the type of athletic midfielder beloved by the manager and we have been told within the last few minutes the player has finally accepted West Ham’s terms.
Hiowever, a lot of people remain very nervous about a deal which will see a player with a poor injury track record join the club.
A source inside Upton Park told us a few minutes ago: “He didn’t arrive at West Ham until this morning but we spoke with his team last night after having heard nothing since Monday.
“They have agreed a deal but as we have said throughout the week the player will now face a very tough medical before anything is agreed. Many people are very nervous about the deal”
Many believe Fletcher’s best years are behind him and the constant mantra from some quarters has been that the club wants “younger and hungrier players.”
But it seems the manager fears he may not be able to land Alex Song in the summer have been listened to and that Fletcher will be signed as a result should all go well with the medical.
Another great idea of our brilliant manager… when he’ll finally leave the club it will be a great day and I’ll have a party.
Good, decent, squad player to add to what is fast becoming probably the best squad of players we’ve had for quite some time. Best start to a Premier season, still in FA Cup……..yeah get Sam out, he knows nothing.
Well i just hope he fails the medical. the only player in the current squad that he can be seen to be an improvement on is nolan (and thats not hard).with bfs still going to pick nolan where would fletcher fit in?
After the liverpool game lets say we have a full midfield to choose from. nolan of course is bfs first pick next fletcher has to pick his new signing song and downing undropable.How the hell is that going to work? it would leave a very strong midfield on the bench..ie noble,kayateee antifsomething and poyet..:-)
Whatever happened to pay per play deals? I would have thought that with Fair Play rules this would take up a material amount of any headroom we have on wages? Maybe I’m wrong here but I really can’t see the benefit of Fletcher on the books at the cost reported with his recent track record of unavailability. I was also beginning to think our scouting network was working, but again, maybe I’m wrong. If Sam is worried about not landing Song surely we could have identified someone who plays +30 games a season and is hungry to join a team on the up.
If we agreed to the original terms of Fletcher’s demand this is going to cost us just shy of 11 million quid over 3.5 years. For a player who has played a total of 50 games in the last 4 years.
I understand the need to have a back up midfield leader if Song goes, but to agree to such a deal would be crazy. I can’t wait to hear the final terms
What a shocking piece of business – sorry David’s you have given into this manager and being bullied – I don’t know what it will take you to realise that that the majority of fans cannot stand him. Please don’t go through with this signing – even if Song does not sign Fletcher is not his replacement – we will need to buy again in the summer. We need younger fresher legs. Poyet is a far better prospect.
Well done to our manager for having an eye on good playmakers and bargains! Fletcher can be a very good addition to an already brilliant squad assembled by Big Sam. Let’s hope it all goes to plan! COYI….
You do know that most of this squad was not assembled by big sam right ?? including most of our recent summer signings.
I think he is a good gamble one of the few older players that really could make a difference, for years he suffered that debilitating illness but he has undoubted quality. LVG played him in nearly all of Man Ure’s preseason games and he had some good matches and they were unbeaten and scored hatfulls of goals, then he signed some of his own players and dropped him an they struggled… His medical history is a major concern but he is someone that has not only been Vice Captain at Man U but also Captain of Scotland so it would seem he is a natural leader perhaps the successor to Kevin Nolan who doesn’t integrate too well into our most successful way of playing ? I would like to see him sign and see how good he could be when he gets his match fitness together. Lets see what happens COYI !!!
“….perhaps the successor to Kevin Nolan”
That says it all and sadly, I think you are correct.
Why are we doing this deal?
What happened to our (successful) new transfer strategy?
He brings no improvement to our squad and will no doubt become a block to the development of young players like Poyet, at ridiculous expense and risk. He is way past his best, if he wasn’t, he would not be released on a free from Manure.
Well done BFS! Darren Fletcher, 31 years old, a perfect perspective player! The ideal replacement of Song… Don’t worry, if Fletcher doesn’t work we have Nolan… The future is ours!
This is a typical BFS signing. I obviously don’t know the details of the deal but he is a proven player of prem standard, however he is crocked more than Carroll and is the wrong side of 30. But in BFS world this is not a risk, he see’s risk in blooding youngsters so sticks with those that have been there but are now on the slide from the big clubs. We are no longer the club that should be putting up with these signings. We are better than that and have more than enough quality in the middle of the park that we don’t need Fletcher. We have the old experienced head in Nolan and he should now only be used sparingly and to see games out when a bit of an old head is needed, Fletcher is another Nolan so why oh why have we gone in for him. A midfield squad of Song, Kouyate, Noble, Nolan, Amalfatano, Poyet, Downing, Jarvis. Does Fletcher fit into this or is he more long term than anyone other than Nolan? Is he fitter / faster than anyone but Nolan? yes he is a good passer of the ball but so is Song, Noble, Downing, Kouyate, Amalfatano and Poyet so why have we bought him? This makes absolutely no sense to me what so ever and others have said as a direct replacement for Song if he goes. You can not put Song and Fletcher in the same category in any way shape or form this can be as cover for this year as when it was muted I thought that as a loan until the end of the season it might be acceptable but not to pay this guy a wage and take that wage up for FFP that could go on a new CB that we definitely need even if Reid doesn’t go. Struggling with this one I really am.
A vigourous medical won’t show up the problem will it? He has issues with his stomach so no amount of running and pressups is going to show it up.A loan until the end of the season when he and can go together maybe but to sign him shows the Davids are being stomped over by Allardyce again .Very typically poor judgement from everyone on this one who want him.
What bad luck deal not done for weekend ,just think Nolan and Fletcher across the midfield it will be just like bed nob and broomsticks as they chug along up field just in time to watch the ball go over there head to wards AC in time to run back to watch our defence over run to turn and run back up field just in time to turn and head back again as BFS subs Cresswell and bring on O Brien then to sub Jenkinson to bring on Demel and the last straw throw on Cole for Sakho so we hold on to loose 4-0 and it is all the fans fault because we wanted entertaining football,2 Daves you have sold our club to a Big Fat Dogged Devil ,
If there is a God he will fail the medical and please don’t sell Valencia to bring him in
I agree with most of what has been posted especially from Rugby & Bubs.Why do the David’s seemingly endorse this madness,by their silence, from Allardyce??
Could he be the first player in the history of football to get boooo’d on for his debut ?
I think a fair and appropriate reaction would simply be silence when his name is read out.
Davis’s stop this madness – do not waste your money on Fletcher – go with your gut – it is more often right than wrong.
ALL fans think they know better than the manager. Across the web on all sites there is not one positive post about the fletcher deal,are we all wrong,this just does not make sence
In the case of Allardyce they know more than him.As Rugby always puts it he is a “genius”