Director of player recruitment Tony Henry has revealed that West Ham will only sign two or three players at maximum this summer with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
Speaking to WHUFC.com he admitted “We need two or three, maximum. If we can get the ones that we want, I think we’ll be a really good team next year.”
His comments appear to confirm that a quality right back and one or two quality strikers will be the top priorities this summer.
The first signing is expected to Pablo Zabaleta to fill the right back position and they expected to tie a contract up soon with 32-year-old defender.
West Ham are said to be lining up a loan move for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi this summer, sources close to the club have told ESPN. The 23-year-old has struggled for regular first-team football at Chelsea, making just one start in the Premier League this season with another 19 appearances off the bench.
Chelsea are said to be reluctant to sell Batshuayi, but could be open to the idea of loaning him out if he finds himself down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge. However, the Daily Mirror claim that Newcastle will attempt to scupper the Hammers loan bid with a bid of their own.
A third signing could be Zabaleta’s former teammate Kelechi Iheanacho. His current contract runs until 2021 and City value him at over £20m. The Nigeria international has featured 28 times for City this season, scoring seven goals.
I cannot believe this idfiot.- 2 or 3 playersd?. AND I suppose we will not be selling Lanzini either
Our two biggest problems are lack of quality and lack of depth in the Squad – you’d expect at least 3 or 4 to improve the quality and another 3 or 4 to bring more competition and depth to the Squad – of course that assumes the upwards of 5 will be outed!
Early days but Zabeletta on a free, Batyshuyi on loan? Pulled out of Defoe because he would cost £6m and wages…
Hardly what you would expect on the back of the move and competing for Champions League is it?
I am with you on that Pablo, in theory we should have 75 – 80 mill to spend, I wouldn’t put Zabaletta in the 2 or 3 quality players, he is decent offensively but plays in a team that rarely has to defend, Moses looks decent doing that at Chelsea, all too often Byram has been exposed by not having any defensive assistance if we sign him will be interesting to see how he is defensively because he will be tested in our team, Batshuayi would be a quality addition but he is still only a reserve for Chelski and I don’t think he could do what Costa has for them or for us, imo we would still need another striker to lead the line, maybe Josh King if the rumours are true, what hasn’t been mentioned too much is the left wing slots, none of ours are particulary great most of them seem to prefer the right side, if we don’t go for Nolito maybe have a punt on Grosicki from Hull, we were interested in him previously and he is a very quick player that can create and score goals.