West Ham remain in talks with Fiorentina over the possible transfer of 23 year old central defender Nikola Milenkovic.
David Moyes has made Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma his No 1 target over recent days but the deal is looking less likely than earlier with ClaretandHugh learning that Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel remains keen to keep the player at Stamford Bridge.
He has been involved in pre-season friendly games and if he is to move on at all, Chelsea favour a deal with Sevilla. in part exchange for Jules Kounde.
In the meantime the Hammers have switched attention back to Molenkovic who has already been the subject of an opening bid reported to be in the region of £14 million.
The 23 year old Serbian is a tough tackling individual who made 47 appearances for his club last season collecting two red cards along the way.
His contract runs out next June and at this point is seen as a stronger possibility than Zouma.
I just don’t understand why Moyes just doesn’t get a deal for Nikola Milenkovic done and dusted. Why do we keep allowing players like Lingard and Zouma to keep mucking us around. Either they want to come or not. We allow players to muck us around as well as teams like Man U and Chelsea. Just do what it takes to sign Milesnkovic, job done. His a top talent and only 23. STOP Dithering Dave. Get the job done!
At least give Ex the credit for the story
The fact is, is that it’s quite frankly negligent we’re this close to a 55/60 game season with the paper thin squad we have. I’m not buying this utter rubbish of ‘let’s wait and see’ – Moyes has made it clear what we need and has expressly stated he wanted players in early. We’ve signed a goalkeeper on loan. Ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa have just completed the signing of winger Leon Bailey (who, statistically was better than Sancho in the Bundesliga last season) to add to their already completed deals for Buendia etc. Leicester have picked up Daka and Soumare. This shows the deals were there to be done, and we simply haven’t got a clue.
These are the teams that we need to be competing with – instead, we’re amateur. Arguing over a £4 million difference in valuation for Zouma. Wanting very good players in on loan rather than just paying for them. It’s embarrassing. I’d understand if it we’d already spent a large sum of money, but we’ve spent £1.2 million on a loan deal and that’s it?!
We may well sign some players, but the amateur way Sullivan runs our club is nothing but a joke. Brighton, Norwich, Villa, Leicester will all (if they haven’t already), surpass us as better clubs in terms of structure. Moyes doesn’t deserve this as a reward for exceeding every expectation we had of him. He should have been backed in a big, big way.
I feel your pain JB15.
Previously I have made similar comments, those clubs mentioned have incredibly wealthy owners and strong financial ability.
Sadly, we don’t have that luxury, we have mortgaged every asset owned, lost fortunes in transfer deals that structured to be paid out in stages, not a bad strategy for a business, however when the cashflow dries up it plays havoc with further expenditures.
We too have incredibly wealthy fans who don’t invest into the club (not current board), but instead factor some of our debt, it’d make a huge difference if they invested.
Nowadays, I’m more relaxed, these past couple of years have given me a different outlook on life and priorities, therefore as a lifelong Hammers fan since the sixties, my current status of mind is, it is, what it is. Can we be more, do more as a team, I’d say that we can, but not that much more!
Looking forward to seeing us playing European football again, will it be another stellar season, who knows for sure?
We’ll need some luck and a few additions to help us along, if not, we go with what we have.
Get behind our team and roar them on regardless.
COYI.
Mile KO ice over Zouma anyway no? Zouma is good for 10 games a season then he’s on holiday, his passing ability is terrible.
Agree with the comments above, how on earth we let Daka slip under the radar I don’t know. Leicester showing how to do football business, pick your target make a sensible offer and get them training with the squad as soon as possible. None of this can we loan your top player with an option to buy at £4.99 per month over the next hundred years, we are literally the laughing stock of the premiership.
That was supposed to say Milenkovic lol
According to The Guardian Zouma has turned down a move to West Ham. As in all transfers it takes two to tango!