By Allen Cummings
It’s 100 per cent correct that the Hammers should be looking at signing a new goalkeeper (or two) but the bigger and less easily solved question is WHO?
Enough has been said of Joe Hart – he’s on his way back to Manchester with I suggest a bleakish future very much before him.
As for Adrian, he’s done nothing like enough to take advantage and in reality, just like the England stopper is prone to calamitous errors.
Neither of them command the area and whilst nobody is perfect these two have become liabilities and highly imperfect.
So who should we consider? Should Stoke go down, Jack Butland will be looking to protect his career with a move.
At Burnley Nick Pope has had a fantastic season and the Clarets aren’t likely to part with him but Pope’s elevation has meant Tom Heaton (right), who was their number one prior to injury, and very much on Gareth Southgate’s radar for the regular England number one slot, is now playing second fiddle and is unlikely to be happy for that to continue next season.
He has a contract until 2020 at Turf Moor and could be available at a fee of around £10 million which remains a lot for a keeper. However, if we are serious about moving forward we have to dig deep.
Both he and Butland are quality performers and would provide a solid foundation. For me either would be the perfect starting point for a new look West Ham for 2018-19.
This club have invested big in goalkeepers before. In the 60’s Ron Greenwood paid a world record fee of £65,000 to bring Bobby Ferguson from Kilmarnock to West Ham.
In the 70’s John Lyall invested heavily in big Phil Parkes paying QPR another world record fee at the time of £565,000. Of course there’s no way we could go that big these days.
Football finances are a whole different ball game but both Greenwood and Lyall recognised the value of a top class ‘keeper. The prices may have changed. The value remains the same.
So who should we consider? Should Stoke go down, Jack Butland will be looking to protect his career with a move.
When Stoke go down I would be quite happy if we were to bid not only for Butland, but also Shaqiri & Ryan Shawcross. All 3 will probably want to leave, already acclimatised to the premier league and would be available at reasonable prices.
Erik Pieters (LB), Butland and Choupo-Moting are the ones to get from Stoke.
Shawcross is 31 and Shaqiri a luxury (when we have a heap of players who aren’t exactly already grafters).
Joe Allen for his energy is one we could look into from Stoke. Shaquiri is a prima donna moaner. Shawcross is slow, heavy, and over 30. No thanks.
Maybe Chadli could come at a now affordable price, with WBA on its way to second division…
Would still love Dendoncker, but that ship might have sailed as he has recovered some shape and there is a rumour he has an agreement with Atletico Madrid.
As for goalie, Butland hasn’t shown consistency, letting in several goals “a la Hart” this season. Several options abroad however. Young Svilar at Benfica for instance. Matia Perrin in Italy. Timo Horn from Koln. Plus several good goalies in Spain.I like Alisson from Roma, but would he trade Champions league for us? Don’t limit the choices to England, where market prices are higher and you don’t necessarily get what you need.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell at Leeds looks very impressive to me. N.Ireland u21 keeper. 6ft 4in,very agile, brave comes out to high balls and usually catches instead of punching. Good distribution. Also Tom Pearce.Young accomplished left back Get in now before the big fish start circling. Also Bettinelli at Fulham looks a very capable keeper. While we’re there go for Ryan Sessegnon and Ryan Fredericks. Flying winger and solid right back
Bobby Ferguson, top class keeper? Bit like Adrian brilliant at times but prone to a ricket and don’t forget that we only signed him and not Gordon Banks because Greenwood had given his word to Kilmarnock!
Tom Heaton would be a good choice. Other than that the cupboard pretty bare in England
Not if you look in the championship, several good keepers there, as mentioned above.