West Ham look likely to have to sell Albian Ajeti this winter given the difficulties in find a loan club for the Switzerland international.
The Hammers are keen to offload the 22 year old who himself is believed to be open to a move given his limited game time at the club.
Having cost £8million the club are keen to get their money back at least but given reports that he was apparently in his way to Brentford for £5 million prior to his London Stadium move that may be difficult.
And a loan look problematical after Sky Sports reported that Uefa rules present plenty of problems in that respect.
They report: ‘that he has already played competitive matches for two clubs this season which leave his options for a potential loan switch in January drastically short.
He would only be able to join a team in a league starting a new season in the New Year such as Sweden, the USA or Japan.
They also report that several European clubs are understood to have made offers to take him on loan without realising it would not be possible to register him until the 2020-21 season.
ClaretandHugh says: Ajeti has yet to start a Premier League game for the club but has made five sub appearances in the league and two starts in the Carabao Cup. Frankly, although he has had nearly less than no chance to impress, he doesn’t look the answer up front even were Pellegrini to decide on a regular two-up formation. Indeed, given that, it’s difficult to understand why he was bought in the first case as he is not a line leader, with the manager – soon after he was signed – calling him a box player. Thus it’s hard to understand why he would want to sell Chicharito for £8 million and replace him with a younger model at the same price. Now, unless some club somewhere makes a firm offer, we may find another player on the books with little chance of playing any real part in the team.
There was a marked improvement with the 442 formation . Ajeti still has time to shine if Pelligrini uses him more with the two up top game plan . There would have been no need to lose Hernandez if he abandoned the lone striker game sooner . Time will tell if his stubbornness has been curtailed .
Now that we are playing 442 you have to wonder at the logic of losing Hernandez .
It’s not certain MP will retain 442. He’s proven stubborn in the past as you rightly say and has refused to introduce changes of formation until they are forced on him. If he is an unwilling convert to 442 going forward, we may need Ajeti if Haller or Antonio get injured. Any inside info, Hugh or Sean, on how Ajeti is regarded by the club or on his form in training?
In fairness I think that Hernandez had pretty much made up his mind to leave and the Arnie experience last year showed the dangers of keeping an unhappy player
The question is really whether we let Ajeti take up one of the non-local places in the squad
As fans I dont think that we should stress ourselves too much about his wages – while 8 million sounds a lot of money (and while many people went on about the money we paid for Hugill) remember that we sold Ashley Fletcher to Middlesborough for I think 6 million – and it seems that the Championship is about his level
Agree keeping wantaway ageing Chica on high wages made little sense.
Arjeti may still come good and was surely only bought up as back up.
We lost 4 experienced forwards and replaced them with one!
Go figure as the Americans say.