I have been reading this morning that a Manchester United central defender could be on his way to West Ham because David Moyes is an admirer of the player who he used during his sole season at the club. eight years ago.
If that’s the case my only question is :Why wasn’t that the case when he decided to bid for James Tarkowski before settling on Craig Dawson?”
Moyes used Phil Jones when he arrived at Manchester United in the 2013/14 years ago and the former England international was just 21 years old.
However, it seems very hard to believe that eight years on and having played only two Premier League games in the last two season that Jones is a serious option for Moyes.
If he is – and I’m sure he’s not – I despair.
It’s so easy to claim that a manager will move for a player because he liked him when he worked with him before which was of course true of Jesse Lingard,
But the idea we will sign a bloke whose Premier League appearance record over the last three season totals 49 appearances and has had numerous injuries is hopefully as absurd in reality as it appears.
Not sure on the reliability of the guy, but last summer Ex Employee wrote that the four choices Moyes had after Tarkowski were Stones, Jones, Dawson and Steve Cook. Apparently it was the huge wages for the first two that stopped the club moving for them and why we ended up with Dawson (Salthouse being the agent probably helped too).
Hugh, at the end of last season the figure being quoted for West Ham’s transfer budget was £70m. Now the media is indicating that it may be nearer £50m. Whilst this is speculation, if it is correct then it is clearly insufficient to cover the recruitment of players for the five positions where the squad is short. This may be why we are (allegedly) looking at 30 year old fullbacks and crocks like Jones and Oxlade-Chamberlain. Clearly Sullivan needs to be creative with his loan to buy deals, hence the endless talking with Pereira, who should be our prime target, and Areola. However, if we can secure them on ltb deals then that opens the path for £15m on a centre back such as Nat Phillips or Lenglet, £20m for a defensive midfielder, but leaves only approximately £15m for the most important position of centre forward. Difficult isn’t it? What makes it more galling is when clubs like City are talking of spending the equivalent of our whole budget on one player. Whatever happens I hope Moyes does not abandon his “young and hungry” mantra. If Phil Jones is signed I will despair.
His appearance record must be up their with Yarmalenko £125k a week, Wilshire £100k, Carol £80k, Reid £80k
Can’t believe anyone would sign any of them on big contracts with their injury records.
Oh, hold on..
Jones looks like a dynamo compered to the above.
God forbid we sign Jones has he ever been any good and his salary would cause unrest in the changing room while we have players on a lot less but who are a lot better. I would rather
we give opportunities to Alves and Baptiste than this crock.
I could not agree more, I know we have loads of games but maybe this is the time to flood our promising youngsters. They will never be good enough unless they are given the experience. The likes of Trott, Anyang in goal….Baptiste, Alese, Cardozo in defence….Coventry, Diallo, Holland, Ekwah and Flex in midfield and Odubeko and Nevers in attack. Give them a run in the cup games and europa league alongside the experienced first teamers. I’m pretty certain one or two will surprise us and stake a claim for the first team. If not given the chance they will never develop. Rather these hungry youngs boys then has beens like Jones et al.