The Huge Difference Nobody Is Mentioning at West Ham

By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)

I appreciate I might be labouring the point here, but it’s important to make the distinction between West Ham receiving offers and West Ham actually being in negotiations to sell players.

As each day, or indeed hour, goes by, there appear to be more and more reports suggesting West Ham are in negotiations with Manchester United or, indeed, Tottenham Hotspur this morning.

Apparently bids have been made and some sort of haggling process is underway.

This would indicate there is at least some back and forth, whereby Manchester United offer £60m for Mateus Fernandes and West Ham are holding out for £80m.

But that really isn’t accurate at all.

There Are No Negotiations

The truth of the matter, and it’s very important to stress this point, is that there are no negotiations because nobody at West Ham is currently replying to any bids, if indeed there are any.

Therefore, it’s all very well stories emerging that Tottenham are about to lodge a bid below West Ham’s valuation, but as things stand there is nobody in place to even read the email and reject the offer.

Which means no negotiation can begin.

West Ham appear entirely happy with that situation because there is no intention to sell key players.

No Open Line Of Communication

Now, I’m not foolish enough to believe we’ll be able to keep hold of everybody, and I suspect neither are the club.

But until they have the infrastructure in place to buy and sell players, it’s simply not happening.

Earlier today I told the story of frustrated Tottenham executive Charles Lewis, who reportedly didn’t know who to contact at West Ham anymore.

For so long, the procedure was simple.

You contacted the Sullivans or Karren Brady and got a deal done.

Now there is no open line of communication.

Nothing Is Close

Clearly, this situation will change.

West Ham cannot operate like this indefinitely.

But unless I have been seriously misinformed, and I don’t believe I have, none of these big-money deals currently being speculated are remotely close.

So whilst clubs might be talking to agents, leaking stories and signalling their interest through the media, that is very different from sitting down across a table and negotiating with West Ham.

At the moment, there isn’t even anyone at the other side of the table.