Karren Brady: We are no Barcelona just yet

Karren Brady has got her excuses in early by questioning the value in January transfer window and suggested that it better to spend big money at the end of the season and not in the middle of it. She has told of the challenges of attracting high calibre players to West Ham saying the Hammers will have to delay being a club like Barcelona for now.

Writing in her football diary Brady says about the winter transfer window  “At this time, I’ve learnt from experience that you can’t rely on what you buy — even for £20m. Sometimes you’re lucky, but often not.

Speaking about the Coutinho move to Barcelona she said

“Frankly, it’s better to spend much more knowing for certain that what you’re buying are the proper goods  — in dodgy jeans or not — at the end of the season, rather  than  in the middle of it.”

“Liverpool’s American owners will decide whether Jurgen Klopp can spend the Coutinho cache, which will be paid £106m up front with add-ons to come. Would I tell him to spend the lot? Yes, I would, and so would West Ham’s owners. We believe that players are the starters, main course and dessert of any club that plans to serve its supporters well.”

“One problem for a team in our position is that to attract the highest-calibre players, we need the promise of big things to come.

It’s a promise we intend to keep — but, for today, we shall have to delay being Barcelona.”