Manuel Pellegrini is ready for transfer market action with Marko Arnautovic clearly representing a key figure within his plans for the Hammers next season.
His words following yesterday’s game that he believes Marko can come back to his best next season suggests he was responsible for backing the decision to give him another year’s contract at the club.
And if the Austrian is to remain the main option up front, with Maxi Gomez still a target for the Irons, the striker issues seem to have been sorted with perhaps the addition of one more back up front man.
Sources inside the club have told ClaretandHugh that both Chicharito and Lucas Perez will be allowed to leave if the right offers are received whilst Pedro Obiang is keen to return to Europe.
Another midfielder will be required for Obiang although with Yarmolenko available again and Lanzini, Noble, Snodgrass, Wilshere Rice, Diangana and Sanchez available, this may not be a priority area.
A left back is required and it has already become clear from our contacts that Pellegrini is focused on bringing in another central defender.
Commenting after the game against Southampton the boss said: “We are starting to prepare for next season, of course. We have to make some changes and we have to see which ones we can do because we need to improve.
“This is an issue we are going to talk with the owners and Mario Husillos about when we finish the last game against Watford.”
The three priority positions to be filled are a CM, a top left footed winger and a proper 9 (we need 3 quality signings here). I would release Carroll, sell both Hernandez and Perez. Promote Silva to first team squad. Assuming Adrian leaves we need a back up keeper. If there is any money to spend I would then prioritise a left back. We are fine at RB. If we well Reid I would then consider a centre half. 5 young players with potential and an experienced keeper as a no 2. In addition to Adrian and Carroll, I would release Nasri and sell Perez, Hernandez, Byran, Reid or Ogbonno, Cresswell, Obiang, Hugill Fernandez. I would promote Holland and Johnson with Silva to the first team squad.
We have one of the poorest defensive records in the top twelve. So we need to improve at CB and CM. Agree on striker need. But why would we need a left footed winger? We have Anderson, Antonio, even Masuaku. Plus Yarmolenko is the most left footed player out there.
I think MP is after a right sided CB in the window, Diop doesn’t play as well in that position as on the left and Oggy is purely left sided, so I suspect if we can get a buyer for him Reid will depart the trouble is he is on 70k a week or so on a long contract so we may have to pay off part of his contract to move him on, or get Palace to sign him. CDM, CM, Striker x2, LB x 1, GK x 1 are required, Etheridge at Cardiff would make a good number 2, they have some decent young players like Josh Murphy, Reid, Camarasa that could do a job, Mooy from Huddersfield and Billings are players that could provide improved strength from the Bench if we are going down the bargain buy route, at Southampton, there is Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Targett, Valeri, Hojberg many of whom should be playing in better teams, I suspect we will go in for the injury prone Wellbeck from Arsenal now he is on a free but I hope Hussillos has some surprises like Fabianski, Balbuena and Diop up his sleeve, that are genuinely affordable first team players.
James seems pretty clued up to our needs so cant disagree there , but put left back a priority and masu to stay young and pacey unlike the useless cresswell now for two seasons of dreadful defending .
Cresswell has been back to near his best this season but injury prone, Masuaku has more disastrous games than good games, we won’t use him on the left wing so sell him on while he still has value. Bring in a top left back. We need a box to box midfielder with pace and a striker.