The links to Morato at Nottingham Forest have triggered exactly the kind of mixed, chaotic reaction you’d expect when a club with allegedly a small transfer budget starts sniffing around a defender who’s had a shaky season.
Let’s not sugar‑coat it, this reeks of West Ham once again rummaging through the bargain bin because the transfer budget is held together with duct tape and prayer.
A loan deal, for a player who covers left‑back and centre‑back, sounds sensible on paper until you actually listen to what Forest fans are saying.
Forest Fans Are Basically Begging West Ham to Take Him
The feedback from Forest supporters on social media has been nothing short of brutal. Not “concerned”, not “mixed”, but full‑blown “please take him away” energy. Such as:
• “He is making too many costly errors and hasn’t improved.
• “Let him go, he’s been terrible.
• “If they offer ten quid, take it.”
When your own fanbase is pricing you at the cost of a meal deal, it’s rarely a glowing endorsement.
If the Hammers are genuinely trying to keep costs down surely it would make more sense to retain Magassa and Alvarez who can both cover centre back, and use what’s left of the transfer budget on a loan for a left back or even better an outright purchase.
Along with Golambeckis, Mayers, Casey, Mavropanos, and Kilman, that gives Nuno seven centre‑back options.
So why on earth would the club spend what little budget remains on a loan for a player Forest fans are practically offering to gift‑wrap?
If you’re going cheap, at least go cheap in the right position like a proper left‑back, or better yet, an outright purchase who doesn’t arrive with a fanbase‑issued warning label.
The other side of the argument though could be that Nuno does know Morato. He signed him for Forest, which means he sees something in him beyond the comment‑section carnage.
And yes, Axel Disasi arrived on loan with similarly grim reviews before proving everyone wrong at West Ham. That’s the one sliver of hope in this whole situation the “maybe he’s secretly good” argument.
But banking on lightning striking twice isn’t exactly a transfer strategy. Even as a loan, this transfer feels off. It’s cheap, yes, but cheap doesn’t automatically mean smart.
Remember the last time West Ham loaned a ‘cheap’ Brazilian defender? Igor Julio. Who? Exactly.
Morato is versatile, yes but versatile doesn’t automatically mean good.
And he’s familiar to Nuno, but familiarity doesn’t automatically mean he’s the right fit.
With better options surely available, this feels like West Ham trying to solve a problem they don’t actually have, while ignoring the one they do!
Nuno is a one trick poney
One up and he will go with an extra defender
Elanga got him out of that with his pace
Boy did we miss him last season
Mirato is slow and dives in early ,not good enough for prem but will do a job in championship
Get Heaven from man u. Even if on loan
We’re mulling the benefits of Keane vs Morato while trundling into a championship season with 2 senior centre backs, one of whom we know not to be up to the job. I watched the u21s last season, only Orford is a first team possibility, the others, including Ajala and Golambekis, are for the future. Never mind a squad we are struggling to put out a first 11… and thats before the rigours of the league kick in.
Killmans confidence was shot to peices long before Nuno arrived. He actually started his time with us with decent confidence while he was let continually let down and left exposed by those playing in front of him like the slow brothers Guido, Alvarez and Ward-Prowse. Nuno appears to rate this guy from his time at Forest so I’ll go with that assessment.
I am not sure why you put so much faith in Nuno’s ability to assess players Matt, when he has done nothing to support that view in the last 12 months at least.
He’s better than this article makes him out to be. Some of his distribution is fantastic. He’s solid in defense most of the time. Good in the air. Good at shepherding a ball out of play. Most of his mistakes have been when played out of position at Left FB and/or when one on one with some of the Prem’s best attacking players. The problem is not how many mistakes he’s made, but the timing of them. He made a couple of mistakes which turned out to be game changing and fans looking for someone to blame remember that more than the long ball he played perfectly into the feet of the striker.
He’s not a bad player, his critic’s are no judges of his talent. His only problems with the fan base was that Murrillo got injured and Morato was required and was expected to be a like for liike replacement which he isn’t. Solid defender can play a pass, tactically aware and a good aquasion but he’s no Murrillo. Hardly anyone in the Premier lleague is
I think Keane would have been a good loan signing for us, experienced and no nonesense. Not sure about this guy, but then we knew we were leaving things far too late in this window. On the whole we have done some decent business but still short of a few and I worry that we are lacking a bit of bite in midfield. Hope Mayers is given a chance and Golambeckis looks like he is up to the challenge. It’ll be too late soon to change things and then we’ll really see if Nuno is up to the job.
As a Forest fan he’s not that bad, certainly good enough for the championship
What worries me is the line…. “And he’s familiar to Nuno”
What happens after Nuno is sacked next week ?
OMG …. Swapping out Kilman for his twin!!clueless transfer window as usual . Wingers galore but full backs and centre back nowhere to be seen. Doomed already to stay (hopeful) in Championship.
Nuno had kilman,that worked out well…surely the Czech lad is a better option….just saying🤯
Morato hasn’t been that bad. He’s a squad player and has had some good games but you always feel there’s a mistake in there waiting to come out. Nuno knows him and maybe feels that being a regular starter at (and Im not being a dick about this) a lower level rather than the bit part player he has been he can do a job for you. All the best for the season, here’s hoping you swap places with Spurs….
Nuno is a one trick poney
One up and he will go with an extra defender
Elanga got him out of that with his pace
Boy did we miss him last season
Mirato is slow and dives in early ,not good enough for prem but will do a job in championship
Everyone thought Dawson was a joke until he became a mainstay and fan’s favourite