West Ham’s opening bid for striker Troy Parrott was turned down by his parent club yesterday as the Hammers finally stepped in to act on their lack of goal scoring options up front.
Taty and Pablo have the energy, but at present appear like a sputtering two cylinder engine with only one of the two ‘pots’ firing correctly. The Argentine front man has proven already his ability to score goals for fun at this level but 46 games is a long season and without options – Callum Wilson having departed – relying on Pablo Felipe looks a big banana skin.
As reported yesterday AZ Alkmaar rejected the Hammers opening bid and the expectation seemed to be that there’d be a wide gulf between the two sides with the Dutch side holding out for €25 million for their striker.
Will West Ham be prepared to show real ambition and get the Parrott deal done?
However the suggestion this morning from fourfourtwo.com is that the goal posts may be much closer – and therefore within West Ham’s reach, should they so choose:
“West Ham United have discovered the steep cost required to land primary attacking target Troy Parrott.Dutch side AZ Alkmaar are reportedly looking for a near-Championship-record fee of €20 million (£17 million) for Irish international Parrott.
According to Sky Sports, the Eredivisie outfit have rejected an opening proposal from the Hammers. As per reports in the Netherlands, the AZ hierarchy are adamant they will not sanction the departure of the 24-year-old unless their full valuation is met.”
£17 million does not appear ‘steep’ (when you’ve banked £155m) for a Pablo upgrade that could be the difference between promotion or play off peril for West Ham.
But if it is £20 million – incidentally the same price that the Hammers paid for Pablo in the winter – is that so excessive for a club aspiring to carry all before it in the Championship this season? If thats the real price for a decent goal scorer then it is surely time to bite the bullet and get the deal done. Unless all of the cash brought in this summer has disappeared to balance the books, in which case the Hammers are in a whole heap of trouble.
Actions speak louder than words: The next 48 hours should tell us whether there is indeed real ambition at our club (As Kretinsky promised back in June): 50,000 season ticket holders have bought-in, but as yet the Irons have ‘invested’ nothing – other than a paltry £7 million in their squad – to be fit for purpose in the Championship. If the 39 – almost 40 – year old Jamie Vardy should arrive in place of a ‘paid’ signing then that will indeed, speak for itself.
Makes me wonder if Parrott highly rated and we are bidding below his valuation why have mid range or newly promoted teams not paid up for him
Just get the players we need in Is it really worth waiting untill the last week of the window to save a few Bob risking dropping precious points in the opening fixtures
Welcome to the London stadium Jamie I can see it now
Couldn’t agree more Martin. Don’t understand the hesitation on this one unless it’s a case of ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’.
What happens to the approx £50m parachute payment?
That’s probably going towards new signings and their wages. So it won’t go far. If you’ve made a 20m signing and a 5m signing and still trying to persuade another defender on top of Veltman then 50m is easily sucked up.
Operating income down by a very significant factor due to loss of prem tv money, sponsorship down, large debt to service, season ticket levels maintained but with a slight lowering of cost, yearly stadium rental slightly lower but nothing significant with respect to losses.
Any sales so far have just plugged gaps and can’t be sensibly counted towards profit to spend on. Thats the price of failure I’m afraid. Finances weren’t even healthy whilst competing at premier level
You probably shouldn’t be using the ‘banked £155m’ comment Martin to stir the melting pot.
I think most sensible fans realise the mess we’ve been left in with finances kicked further and further down the road, throw in relegation and we’ve been truly stitched up by Sullivan.
I suspect spend will be at a minimum with perhaps one ‘marquee’ signing. Hopefully it’s a striker as we can’t depend on Pabloo.
Whenever we have been relegated we have always signed a vetran player(s).
Think Liam Brady, Stuart Pearson, Teddy Sheringham etc.
Those players set the tone for the younger emerging talent.
Vardy along with Parrott and Nelson, possibly Dele if he proves he is up to scratch can compliment the existing squad.
A proficient ball playing centre mid is essential to control the tempo of the game. This is the crucial part of our team that is lacking.
But beggars can’t be choosers!
We’re in financial mire. Patience is required just now.
Please accept our status and understand this fellow Hammers.
All gone very quite on Disarsi front with no bids coming in.
Perhaps just saving money for him.
I think the reality may be that on top of having to manage the debt that Sullivan left, we also are short of the funds Kretinsky was going to inject. Obviously that won’t happen while Staveley is on the scene
Just get it done If not wont get promoted that’s for sure plus left every single fan down Message to our board MAKE US PROUD AGAIN Not the laughing stock we have become
We’re the same old cheapo loser club lowballing clubs with tinpot offers, and we have no ambition.
You can’t even blame the moronic and narcissistic duo of Baroness “Business Brains” Botox and the vertically-challenged velvet-shoed ex-adult industry grotesque snake oil salesman cheapskate creep Sullivan anymore either.