It’s been a busy deadline day as predicted with several candidates offered up as likely new centre-half signings: According to one news report this afternoon, the die is cast and the Hammers have their agreement, a little over six hours before the window closes.
If true – of course – the usual caveat – then West Ham’s recruitment team has a busy evening ahead, assuming the player is on hand for a medical: There were suggestions a couple of hours ago that he was already in London which would tie in nicely.
According to footballfancast.com – but as yet unconfirmed by any source inside West Ham – there’s an agreement in place to being an additional centre back for the season:
“West Ham have agreed a deal to sign Morato on loan from Nottingham Forest in a last-minute move. The Hammers will have an option to buy the Brazilian and have beaten the likes of AS Roma and AC Milan to his signature.“
Better than Faes, not as good as Ladislav Krejčí – would seem to be the feedback from fan comments in the last day or so when reports of the trio as ‘possibles’ were published.
With the window closing at 11, we’ll know soon enough. Meanwhile, there’s a game to be won.
Might surprise us like Disasi but essentially this is what happens when you haven’t even got a head of recruitment at the start of the window and then you do your selling before any buying and then you back track on your budget so you don’t have much to spend on the 10 spots in the squad that you need to fill.
I give some credit for the Engels and Austbo deals (and this is where the majority of the budget went) but apart from that we have jist gone for prem squad players that could have been scouted from MOTD. I thought we had bought in some specialist knowledge of the lower leagues to identify suitable prospects? Doesn’t seem to have led anywhere, perhaps they were all asking for money we couldn’t really afford.
We’re literally buying Morato because he’s left footed and comfortable shifting out to left-back aren’t we.
Let the panic buying begin
A centre back was certainly coming I’d say given that Casey went out on loan.
If he’s no better than Killman club have only got themselves to blame.
Am sure fans will let him know if he is welcome or not.
Better than Faes would not be hard..you Martin myself and everyone in the comments would be better than Faes….only worry about Morata is if thats the LB problem solved….a role he cannot play but hey i am not paid £5million a year to know that.
I did read on Forest sites that their fans were begging West Ham to buy him. That’s the problem with deadline day deals often the only players available are ones no one else wants.Despite the potential of Golambeckis and the rejuvenation of Kilman we will end the window without an outstanding CB even at Championship level. Add in Scarles st Left Back and I fear our defence will be our undoing this season unless Nuno is sacked soon.