West Ham insist that the Jeremy Ngakia negotiations are going right down to the wire and they still hold a remote chance of the right back doing a U turn and deciding to stay at the club.
Despite their bitter disappointment at the boy’s current situation the club have been talking to him regularly over the last 10 days in the hope he will have a change of heart.
Ngakia grabbed a brilliant winner against Palace in Saturday’s practice match switching the ball from left to right foot and hammering home.
And with doubts over the full fitness of either Ryan Fredericks or Ben Johnson, manager David Moyes is ready to launch the teenager into the first two matches which would see the completion of his deal with the club should he stick by his ‘I’m leaving’ guns.
But ClaretandHugh understands that the player is now being asked specifically what he wants to stay with a senior source telling us on e-mail: “Nether Jeremy or his representatives have ever explained what they will settle for and we would like to know. We have asked directly: ‘Tell us what you want.’
“We are trying to persuade him every day and have been talking for months. We are hoping – remote though it may be – that he will decide to stay.”
Ngakia has been linked with Palace, Spurs and Arsenal with Watford the latest to be thought to be interested.
Antonio can play right back as well as anyone. So can Cresswell. Also Johnson and Fredericks and Zaba…
Or go with a back three.
Make Ngakia a decent offer and let it go.
Be good to retain Ngakia’s services – but not at any price. He has featured in, what, four senior games? His has made a very promising start but to reward him with too much, too soon is dangerous. Give him a good basic salary and offer extra payments for appearances. But to say “what do you want” will simply bring on a bidding war with his agent and future employers. Another inflated ego is the last thing the club needs.
Asking ‘What do you want?’ at least gives the club a reasonable chance to match or decline his agents demands….
My concern is that he leaves and becomes a ‘hate figure’ for fans, when all he wants is a reasonable way to secure his and his family’s future.
Is that out of order..?