West Ham are claiming they will be making a “significant signing” in defence within two weeks as the controversy surrounding the decision to sell Grady Diangana swirls on.
However, there continues to be a small doubt the deal between the Hammers and West Brom will be done according to a London Stadium insider.
We have learned that the Baggies are ready to pay a straight £18 million for the 22-year-old and as things stand a 20 per cent sell on clause is also involved.
The Hammers believe they had few alternatives but to sell given that there are currently seven wingers in the squad and there has been no bid for any of them other than Diangana.
The manager has regularly made it clear he must strengthen the defence and the club claim they are currently suffering from gate losses of £12 million last season and possibly a projected £20-£30 million this campaign.
Moyes view was that the Hammers have a hugely unbalanced squad – notably with seven wingers and so few defenders – which has made the Diangana sale hard to resist given there have been no bids for any of the others..
The source said: “Our problem is we let in too many goals, so we have to strengthen the defence. Ideally we’d have preferred bids for other wingers, but the only players we have a bid for is Grady, so as much as it hurts we’ve had to sacrifice him to improve the defence. There will be a significant signing within 2 weeks in defence. We hope this explains the logic of selling Diangana. The deal might still not happen, but of it does its £18m plus a 20% sell on. Its not £12m plus add ons.”
Great a signing after the season has started – maybe
Be still my beating heart. Grady should be going nowhere until the other signing is lined up the next day
That’s a good price for Diangana i think. Contrary to other beliefs from so-called fans (saying they hope we get relegated – seriously???) i think £18m for an unproven Premier League player of his age is good business. Yes i’d prefer him over Anderson or Lanzini in that position but you simply can’t go into a season with so many midfielders and so few defenders and right now the market dictates who we keep and who we sell.
On top of that, Holland should be knocking on the door in that position after another season on loan at a top Championship club so we are well stocked in that area, as mentioned in the article.
Stop panicking, Hammers fans, at least until Phil Jones rocks up!!
I agree that Conor Coventry is a really talented player, and should be the next player to be given a chance. But he doesn’t play in the same position as Diangana and their different types of players. Diangana is a wide attacking midfielder that can play on either wing. Coventry is a Central Midfielder. He doesnt have the pace and trickery of Diangana but is still a top talented player. But what the hell, were only sell him as well for peanuts, so it’s all irrelevant.
I said Holland, not Coventry!!
Few alternatives? This board are a disgrace to football not just our club. They blame FFP but there is clearly room to spend. Any accountant will tell you that.
The tight owners just don’t want to. If we want a defender and LB then buy them. You do not need to sell first, if you do sell, you don’t sell the young talent that will be an England International and actually gets our expensive signing scoring goals. I thought Moyes was deluded but the board are more deluded than anyone and their constant lies and tightness will come to an end very soon. Covid-19 or not the protests have restarted GSB.
I would not normally comment but Grady showed outstanding form last season he wants to stay he has amazing skills and the idea you sell talent to cover duds like Anderson Wilshire and a ever growing list of under achievers is a disgrace finally I can see why the owners are not equipped to run a professional football club.
It has taken time for many of us to reach this conclusion, but reach it we have. You have rightly pointed out the absurdity of selling a talented homegrown player, whose heart and soul are at this club and will leave expend and leave every ounce of energy on the pitch for this club, whilst keeping the duds who are only here for the money.
This is a Betrayal of Grady and the message this sends out to our talented academy graduates is frightening. Maybe the youngsters that we have recently lost (including Ngakia) know something we don’t.
GSB OUT ASAP and I was one of the supporters who realised this a little late!
The Cat – better late than never fella 👍
…whose heart and soul are at this club and will leave expend and leave every ounce of energy on the pitch for this club…
The guy wanted assurances of playing time!! That doesn’t show someone who’s heart and soul is in the club. Are you people deluded? What youngster decides if he isn’t going to be playing week in, week out he’s going to leave? THAT’S the betrayal. You all make your minds up what’s happening at West Ham without any shred of evidence because it’s easier to hate the board than to research what the actual truth is and then threaten protests like a bunch of kids not getting what they want and thus throwing your toys out of the pram.
Get a grip. We’re a Premier League club with a decent squad and yes, maybe every now and again we will sell a player the fans would like us to keep but we’re not unique in that.
As an aside, when the David’s sell up to billionaire owners who then hike up season ticket prices and the kids can’t go and watch us for the incredibly cheap ticket costs they currently can, who are you going to protest to then?
On Sully’s Payroll???
Don’t try to make a point off the back of me. I DON’T agree with your Opinion’s either…so move on!
“We’re in a big dilemma, Mr.Moyse.” “what’s that, then” ? “We’ve got seven wingers at the club – we need to sell one; & then we can spend the money on a new central defender.” “No problem, sell the best one that we have”. “Goodbye, Grady – nice to have known you. Do come back & score plenty of goals against us”.
He was sold because nobody bid for anyone else. You can’t sell someone who nobody wants wants to buy. We now have the money to buy the defensive players everybody knows we need. I’d rather have a left back for the new season, and if that means selling the only one of our 13 mid fielders that attracted a bid, then so be it.