Always the problem in January. Clubs are unwilling to listen to offers for their starting XI players as there is virtually no time to get out and replace them in the brief four week window. Which is why this January transfer session is proving so frustrating for West Ham United who are seeking to bolster their slim survival chances and rebalance their squad.
Of course, the business should have been done last summer. Instead of this January panic buying.
Eric Dier is the latest ‘transfer target’ who can be scratched off the list, according to Sky Sports.
Whilst he’s very Nuno-friendly and would be a huge upgrade on any of the Hammers’ current centre back options – which shows how low the bar is set – it seems that West Ham’s interest will come to nothing.
“Monaco want to keep Dier amongst transfer talk” runs their title which explains:
“Monaco have no plans to sell Eric Dier and he is happy at the club. There have been reports of interest from West Ham but Dier is expected to stay.
Sky sports claim Monaco will not sell their defender in this window
The ex-Tottenham centre-back signed from Bayern Munich last summer on a free transfer. The 31-year-old has scored twice in nine appearances for Monaco this season.”
Which puts West Ham back to square one in their search for a Premier League-ready centre back. Quite possibly the Irons will end up taking a bigger risk on an untried youngster – RB Leipzig’s El Chadaille Bitshiabu is still looking a ‘possible’ – but it is a big ask expecting a 20 year old to go straight into a relegation battle.
And it shows how poor are the Hammers squad options that he’d make the starting eleven automatically.
“The former Tottenham and England defender was linked with a move to the London Stadium by ExWHUEmployee, who first broke news of the Hammers’ interest.”
The above was published by our good friend Gonzo yesterday, Tuesday, at 10am UK time. Less than 24 hours later, today at 3.30am, it has been disputed by our good friend Martin.
What’s going on? Does this make ExWHUEmployee now an unreliable source, meaning we can only rely on ‘our main source’ (thought to be none other than David Sullivan) at WHU? Some clarification would be nice.
Ex broke the news about Eric Dier and I quoted his article and an update from Florian Plettenberg.
Sky Sports UK have now said that he doesn’t want to move to West Ham which Martin has reported on. Neither myself or Martin have quoted anyone from club in either article so I think you’ve misread or just assumed.
As for clarification . . . David Sullivan is most certainly not my source on anything West Ham. I hope he sells up ASAP and gets out of our club.
Thanks Gonzo, I appreciate your time to reply!
Difficult to purchase players in the jan window!!!!
This has always been the case and its laughable fans were expecting anything different. The club is dead and buried and has been since the summer window closed.
Dier was not shaky but was not a very good CB – better DM (as spindrift). He would help the team, but not a lot, plus I mean, Spurs? We are NOT that low yet, I assure you!! 😁
What are Mendes, Max Hahn & agents up to? I thought Nuno had submitted names in advance of January window and with Mendes helping there would be less Easter egg style searching for available players?
Recruitment windows never make a great deal of sense anyhow – I know C&H simply reporting on what is doing the rounds.
Pretty obvious we had no plans to sign a CB whatsoever. Midway through Jan and we’ve signed what looks to be more of a no 10 in Taty, presumably to replace Paqueta, and some unknown who isnt ready for the EPL.
The club really is a mess. And please don’t peddle the old ‘why would anyone want to join us’ as money talks and BS walks that’s why, it’s just once again we have no clear plan and are using agents to do our scouting.
Sully out.
Considering Nuno has been in post for a while, why could they not line up a defender ready to join us in January? It is ridiculous that that we are now approaching players to join our miserable club.
This is the way West Ham roll under Sullivan, never been any different, there is NO plan.
I’ve said it many times, but I’m absolutely staggered by the fact the man made money in the business world. How that possibly happened really is beyond my comprehension.
Then we’ve got the dynamic sidekick Brady, who once more will be mocking the business brains on The Apprentice over forthcoming weeks…..you REALLY couldn’t write it.
It’s not merely for this transfer window that our premier league competitors have been planning for months, it’s next summer, the following year, five years time, business development, infrastructire improvements, strategic recruitment programmes.
See the difference……we’re still operating out of portakabins at the training ground. If it weren’t so tragic, you could laugh.
He was selling a product that was in demand worldwide.
Quite, but even then you’d assume he’d f**k the whole idea up. Shrewd is definitely not his middle name!
Hello Whippethammer. Perhaps it can be written. If there are any screenwriters amongst C&H readers, I think you have just pointed out a possible theme for their next TV script.
Characters along the lines of ‘The Office’, based on our now infamous club.
Opening shot: portakabins, letter missing from team name on display, cue slightly irate manager saying ‘it’s about being positive but everybody’s too negative to see it. I will not be defined by our position in the league, it is not the end all’…
Fantastic idea😆!
I could actually see Ricky Gervais portraying a certain character rather brilliantly. The set’s ready to go, they could just use the training ground after hours……..which according to our on pitch displays would appear to be most of the time.
I think that the answer is Ethan Pinnock – familiar with teh Premier League and may be prepared to stay if we are relegated
Used to watch Pinnock when he was at Dulwich Hamlet. Pretty sure he wasn’t bad there, but never in a million years expected I’d be agreeing with another Hammer wanting to sign him ten years later!