West Ham’s summer of having to ‘sell before buying’ has been portrayed as the transfer window when players need to be shifted before new reinforcements can be added: If you like, the ‘road blocks’ to a rebuild are the tried and found wanting members of the current squad. In precarious, typically West Ham fashion, movement is starting late in the window. First, Edson Alvarez has been dispatched to Turkey on a loan-with-option-to-buy deal which will make the Hammers a small profit should Fenerbahce decide to keep him in 12 months time.
Next up in the departure lounge would seem to be Guido Rodriguez: Sportwitness.co.uk claiming this morning that Spanish side Espanyol are keen to take Rodriguez to La Liga and that, crucially, Rodriguez himself has now green-lit the move.
However as with most of West Ham’s overpaid, older squad members, a transfer will be difficult owing to Rodriguez’ current deal and the Hammers’ unrealistic expectations of a transfer fee. According to sportwitness:
“Espanyol have to find an agreement with the Hammers to conclude the operation, and this is where the problem lies. While the 31-year-old has given his approval, the tug-of-war between the two clubs continue. They are looking for a loan deal with Graham Potter’s side covering part of the salary. The report say West Ham are currently ‘inflexible’ and are demanding a high purchase clause.
Alternative formulas like a loan with an option to buy instead of an obligation, a preferential option to sign one of the current players or shared ownership is being explored to convince West Ham to lower their demands. There’s no mention of the London club’s response..[but] there’s ‘certain optimism on both sides’ that Rodríguez will eventually join Espanyol.”
Which is all well and good providing there is a plan in place to bring in Alvarez and Rodriguez replacements by 1st September.
Whilst the two are only mediocre performers, without the duo West Ham would be left with just the two front line ‘trundlers’ – Ward Prowse and Soucek – plus the as yet un-debuted Freddie Potts. Even Potter and Sullivan cannot be that blasé after the woeful start to the season.
Cynics will again shout the name of Josh Brownhill as the likely designated ‘reinforcement’, available on a free and at best a ‘modest’ Rodriguez upgrade. Does Potter have higher aspirations?
Still early days. We must give Graham Potter a chance to build on and off field. We are a major reconstruction job with nobody to blame but those that thought we were going to become Real Madrid 2 and tried to gear us up for same.
Becoming the one and only West Ham United is the current task and that team is going to take shape gradually and organically.
We must avoid all the hype and calls for change for change sake.
Keep the faith and COYI.
well said sir.
Demanding a high purchase clause? Two or three million is a ‘high purchase clause’?
Sullivan has brought the club to its knees.
So we lose first five games and Potter gets sacked – who do we bring in ?
Another out of work mediocre manager.
Already visualising Michael Carrick, a man sacked by Middlesbrough for not being good enough.
Time for the Revolution !!
Cant come soon enough getting Rodriguez out the club,shocking player.
If we could sign Hayden Hackney from Boro and even got Josh Brownhill in too with young Freddy Potts starting regularly I’d take that
Moving Rodriguez on is a good move but I think Alvarez is a decent player who had a mediocre season in an awful team. There is a long list of players I want moved on before Alvarez and unless we have an upgrade coming in the next few days we may regret letting him leave. I hope I’m wrong.
Marc Casadó seems to be doing the rounds currently looks good, likes a tackle but in many clips I saw he was outpaced and made lots of tackles off his feet. Why can’t we get Makau is a mystery or possibly was the media hyping up something that was never happening. As for Fernandes Southampton don’t seem in the mood for our lowball offers.
Potter hasn’t got hold of the purse strings, Potter isn’t negotiating the transfers,putting in phantom and insulting bids. Shopping for freebies aging injury prone players your number one source is. I’m not Potters greatest fan but this shambles is not down to him.
But we have to be realistic about the size of the hole we find ourselves in. If it was one top young talent and Brownhill coming in then I would be happy enough with that as we were never going to have the budget and ambition to sort all our problems in one window. Plus it gives room for Orford, Earthy, Kante, Fearon to force their way into the team in future seasons.
Rodriguez, Ward Prowse, Soucek, Alvarez is not a midfield it’s a pedestrian death wish.
They all have their attributes but being energetic is not amongst them. They could all be incorporated into a midfield that contained a couple of more dynamic players.
It’s not the players leaving that concerns me it’s the dearth of those coming in. We need a couple of lively midfielders as a matter of urgency.
Will never understand why people are always piling on Tomas Soucek, the guy is a workhorse, he consistently scores goals every season and has contributed more than someone like Paqueta every year.
“The West Ham midfielder has the highest distance covered per 90 minutes 2024/25, averaging 7.5 miles. He is also noted for spending less time walking than any other player in the Premier League, indicating a high work rate.”
Just doesn’t have any pace, which we need, but would rather see him in midfield than JWP or Rodriguez
Of course Potter has higher aspirations. This is a Sullivan.
Exactly. What Potter wants is irrelevant