Hammers will vote to keep things as they are

Hammers vice chairman Karren Brady insists the Hammers will resist any attempts to return to the long transfer window.

Chosing to give her view in her Sun column she declares: “The previous system, with a deadline at the end of August, was not only chaotic — it was misused by moneybags clubs who had three weeks to stress-test the squad and add a player or two if necessary.

“Some turned up right old pups, too, as is typical with what ends up being panic buys.

That is why West Ham will be voting to retain the current Premier League transfer deadline date.”

Admitting she would prefer to see the French, German, Spanish and Italian leagues fall into line she adds: “But there is no Brexit-style bust-up going to happen between England and the Continental powers who, surely, will see the sense in stopping transfers at the start of the season because it is both fair and efficient.

Whether Spurs chairman Daniel Levy views it this way I doubt — though his manager might be a different case. The tedious Christian Eriksen saga has caused Mauricio Pochettino the kind of headaches recently associated with star Australian batsman Steve Smith.