It has been a week of complete contrasts at West Ham United with the rollercoaster of a third loss in a row seemingly galvanising the board and David Sullivan into the realisation that Premier League survival is at risk without a huge improvement in the playing squad. Quite why it has taken until now to shake the complacency is a discussion for another day. The impending arrival of midfielders Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa are to be welcomed – once they sign on the line.
Further scuttlebutt has the Hammers linked with goalkeepers from Hull to Brazil – along with late bids for strikers from Denmark’s Midtjylland – Franculino Dju – and more concerningly Victor Boniface from Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen.
Boniface is, on the face of it, a pretty powerful addition: However, as per givemesport.com last night, the warnings are there as the 24 year old currently sits in limbo:
“The striker’s future is up in the air after he failed a medical at AC Milan last week, leading to the Italian side making a last-gasp decision to end their pursuit despite verbally agreeing an initial loan which would have included an option to make the switch permanent for close to £21million at the end of the season.”
Anyone who has caught a glimpse of the image doing the rounds purporting (but not proven!) to be of Boniface’s patched up knee will not be surprised, it looks like a badly assembled jigsaw puzzle. Surely after West Ham’s travails last season with strikers out of action through accident, injury and bad luck, the Hammers will give Boniface a very wide berth. The red flag warning is there clear for all to see.
Boniface failed a medical at AC Milan
Dju on the other hand would be a genuinely exciting addition to the squad- but wishful thinking only gets us so far and it seems the scorched earth midfield clearout and rebuild is the best West Ham fans can expect in the days remaining in this window: The dream of a young, fit, fast, hungry striker is most likely going to have to stay a dream for another summer. Probably.
I just asked ChatGPT to list WHU striker signings over the last 20 years, to see what it decided I’d want to see.
Benayoun (loved him), Piquionne, Carroll, Valencia, Hernandez, Haller, Scamacca, Fullkrug, Wilson, Ferguson…
…were the ones it listed. Of course there are others, like Ajeti, Hugill, Perez etc.
But the most exciting striker I can remember in that time was Diafra Sakho, signed in 2014 for £3.5m. OK, so his early years for sure. A young, (relatively) cheap unknown.
I love the idea of a player like Dju coming for the money proposed. Young, hungry, rough around the edges. A proper swashbuckling pirate of a player who will excite. Him alongside Marshall would be awesome.
We already have a young, fit, fast and hungry striker (maybe even two), but they are very young.
Take Boniface with an option rather than an obligation or with a contract that limits the cost in case of further injuries.
He is a hell of a player when fit like a higher quality Antonio.
Like Dju a lot from what I have seen and if it’s a choice between the two forwards you would have to go with him.
We still haven’t announced either of the midfielders yet which is a concern what’s taking so long ?
Fernandes just been announced on sky sports news.
I hope we have learned our lesson
No more injury prone players please
Let’s sign a player who is going to be on the pitchsue
Martin…The special ones just been sacked will Sullivan who is a fan be tempted as he is now available for free? what do your top sources say about that?
look at what Mourinho himself said last year (my article just out)..
Dju look’s a handful, young, energetic with individual flair and skill, reminds a lot of Antonio along with Marshall could lead our attack for the next few years. Fullgrub and Wilson are simply past their sell by date but no one’s wants either! But so glad we’re at last buying for the future which should be more exciting than what’s been delivered over the last two desperate year’s. COYI
So we signed him then lol
Simply avoid …