Things finally happening !
Typical!
Much like London buses, you wait for one and then three new signings come all at once.
We have moved incredibly slowly in the transfer market since the departure of Declan Rice, and I was fearful that we would have no new faces at the London Stadium for the start of the season.
But things are finally happening !
The Irons are poised to sign the Ajax midfielder Edson Álvarez for £32m and are set to make one more addition in midfield by signing James Ward-Prowse for £30m.
As pointed out earlier on CandH, the deals for Alvarez and Ward-Prowse will be seen as a sign of the club backing Moyes. The media has been full of stories about the working relationship between our Supremo and Tim Steidten, West Ham’s new technical director, over targets. Moyes has always wanted battle hardened Premier League players, whereas Steidten has been looking at younger targets in Europe.
Both signings have been key targets for David Moyes, who has been looking to strengthen his squad since the £105m sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal.
All potentially decent signings, and they will both add a lot to the side.
Moyes obsession with Harry Maguire continues and he he has somehow convinced the board to move for the defender. The Irons have an agreement in principle on a fee of £30m for Maguire and are due to discuss personal terms with the defender. He is reported to be on £200k per week but with a financial deal which will see United and the Hammers sharing the cost.
I am not particularly keen on us signing a defender seemingly in decline, but you never know -perhaps wearing the claret and blue will reignite his career?
The West Ham shopping list continues as they are also looking for a left-winger and are trying to sign the Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen on loan with an option to buy, and a striker could be handy as well, due to Gianluca Scamacca leaving for Atalanta.
All in all, a very interesting 24 hours in the wonderfully crazy world of West Ham
Let’s focus here on the positives. Sky are zooming in on the Maguire and WP stories but the best signing we are making of the 3 is Alvarez. He has the ability to be a top DM in the PL. I am fine with Maguire signing but against top teams we need to play 3 at the back. The one signing I am not happy with is WP – would have much preferred a midfield of Alvarez, Fofana and Paqueta. Up top we need a replacement for Scamacca. I see we are linked with Falogun, not for me too many of his goal contributions come from the spot and too light not strong in hold up play and making things happen. I really like Gnonto and Wahi as options here. We also need competition on the right wing and I really like Gnonto here too and Johnson from Forest and finally we need an attacking mid (technical clever etc). No ideas here yet but over to DOF on this. We also need a LB we are linked with Matson of chelsea not sure he is the player we should be looking at. My last three words of advice goal 1 keep Paquera at all costs 2 Moyes show him we have attacking ambition starting this weekend and 3 Sullivan let DOF do his job ftom now.
Not sure I can agree with the “wonderfully” crazy world of West Ham bit, Simon!
What very few seem to be doing is stepping back and looking at why so many backroom staff and players have been so desperate to leave West Ham in the last few weeks. What’s the common denominator here?
Surely, it’s just one word – Moyes. He seems to fall out with players that he once favoured enough to bring to the club. He then plays them out of position and not to their strengths and they get disillusioned and want to leave. Vlasic, Scamacca (both departed at considerable losses), Paqueta. He even played Ings as a lone striker, as if he wasn’t familiar with what his goal-poaching strength were. For God’s sake, pumping high balls up to someone who is 5ft 10ins!
With the backroom staff – Nevin, Warburton, Pearce, Irvine. The list seems to go on.
Through Moyes’s arrogance, stubbornness and his out-moded, unattractive way of playing, which has proven to be not even effective over the last 18 months, we are wasting money and I fear are in real danger of losing our Premier League status.
The dinosaur must go!