Moyes facing urgent issue with ageing Hammers squad

Oggy 33

David Moyes’ oft repeated desire to build a young and energetic West Ham is set to come under examination this summer as he moves into his second transfer market since returning to the club.

For he will know that there’s eight players  players in the over 30s bracket and a number in the upper twenties as he looks to reinforce.

Noble 34

Right now we have Lukasz Fabianski, 36, Darren Randolph, 34, Oggy 33, Mark Noble 34, Craig Dawson, 31, Andriy Yarmolenko 31, Aaron Cresswell 31 and Michail Antonio 31.

Add Winston Reid to the squad, although the club will be hoping his loan exploits with Brentford draws an offer from the newly promoted Bees or elsewhere, and we have what is becoming maybe an urgent age problem on our hands.

When one considers that we have also been linked with Olivier Giroud 34  and Marko Arnautovic 32 it becomes apparent that, if we believe the Moyes stated way forward, much of the media speculation is utterly absurd.

Currently – apart from the two veterans mentioned – few realistic names have escaped from the club as targets although Tammy Abraham at 23 would be a step in the right direction as far as age is concerned at least.

New signings are required with an important Premier and Europa League programme ahead and the manager needs to be looking at young players under, hopefully, a revamped scouting system.