By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
As news surrounding Amanda Staveley’s bid for West Ham shares intensified over the weekend, club sources sought to reassure supporters that it would have no impact on the club’s transfer plans.
As Claret & Hugh reported yesterday, we spoke directly to a club source on Sunday, who insisted recruitment was much further advanced than much of the media had been suggesting, despite the uncertainty surrounding the ownership situation.
Transfer activity gathering pace
So far, that reassurance appears to have been justified.
West Ham are now set to make a third improved bid for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, while also having lodged an offer for Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor (main pic).
The Isidor proposal is believed to be a loan with an option or obligation to buy, although Sunderland are understood to favour a permanent deal worth around £20 million.
Whilst Isidor is no world-beater, I think he’d be more than capable of improving West Ham’s attack. Above all else, he’d bring some much-needed pace to the forward line.
The pursuit of Engels also suggests the recruitment team remain committed to strengthening the teams creativity despite the recent speculation surrounding Daniel Křetínský’s ownership plans.
Koppen making progress with signings ‘imminent’, apparently……
More work still to do
That said, it’s important the recruitment doesn’t stop there.
If reports are to be believed, Nils Koppen is still pursuing Manor Solomon and Simon Adingra, both of whom are comfortable operating from the left-hand side and possess the kind of pace this squad has been crying out for.
As I’ve written previously, West Ham desperately need players capable of running beyond defenders and adding creativity in the final third.
If those moves can be added to the business already underway, West Ham will look a far more balanced and dangerous side by the time the transfer window closes.
Either way, it would appear the assurances given to Claret & Hugh were accurate.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Amanda Staveley’s proposed investment, the recruitment department, led by Nils Koppen and his expanded recruitment team, seems determined to press ahead with strengthening Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad.
Whoever comes along – players, managers, shareholders, investors – some of us will never be happy.
And we wonder why people aren’t queueing up to join or buy us…
I could not agree more and I have been a supporter since my first game in October 1949 . Why do these crazy things always happen to us.
Spot on Morty. Carry on regardless. As for targets, there must be plenty of strikers out there with a better ratio than Isidor’s 6 goals in 32 games. Definitely no obligations to buy like with Todibo. Get loans with options like when we get mugged off loaning out the likes of Alvarez, Cornet and Fullkrug.
Sorry, Morty, but not having a history with the club, or being a supporter, doesn’t preclude someone from being excited by the opportunity and wanting to give it their all. “Simply a business opportunity” is disingenuous to everyone who buys into a business and then falls in love with it and adds value.
It’s the timing though Buddy, it’s selfish and self serving and lacks empathy. Probably sums up the majority of the super rich I guess
no, what she does is step in as a front to investors (notably from the Gulf region), searching/researching business opportunities she can recommend then step in with their financial clout. Then get some experts in, get it on track and move on to the next opportunity. There is no question of falling in love, sweat & tears invested in a personal project, before she is off.
Nothing wrong with that, but after, club is left with a fait accompli, with God knows who is pulling the strings and counting the profits & squeezing every drop they can out of club, stadium and property. Of course fans & locals can go hang themselves and deem themselves lucky they are still welcome to politely clap their team.
Staveley may be a “football lover” as mentioned in various news stories, but she has no connection to our club. To her we are simply a business opportunity, if it were otherwise she would have purchased the Gold shares as soon as we were relegated instead of causing chaos just as the season is starting
Morty – What does that make Kretinsky then, given he had the opportunity to purchase the same shares at a lower price and passed up the opportunity. You’ve just damned him.
And the headline here is misleading given we’ve still signed nobody and are up to a third bid for an average Celtic player.
Agreed, not sure why he delayed. If he wants the shares now it will cost him more, but it doesn’t paint him as an enthusiastic investor
Guess doing it now to exert pressure and as there is a bit of turmoil going on & what might be indecision, she can be sold by tabloids as a saviour figure – always an easy sell, avoids awkward questions and all sold with a winning smile.