West Ham could be set for a summer transfer tussle with Carabao Cup winners Newcastle United for one of the hottest properties in English football.
That is according to TalkSport transfer correspondent Alex Crook, who yesterday reported the Hammers’ interest in Burnley’s James Trafford.
The young goalkeeper has been brilliant at Turf Moor this season, with 27 clean sheets whilst conceding only 11 league goals. As a result, Trafford has been drafted into Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad and promoted from the Under-21s.
It’s something of an open secret that West Ham are on the lookout for a new keeper as new boss Graham Potter looks to overhaul his Hammers squad.
West Ham have been playing the ball back to goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with alarming regularity since Potter took up the Hammers’ hot seat. Clearly, it’s a tactic set to continue under Potter, and whilst Areola’s shot-stopping has been tip-top, his distribution has been horrific.
Now, it has been revealed by Crook that Trafford has become West Ham’s number one target, but he won’t come cheap. The £20m signing from Manchester City will now cost upwards of £30m, which is big money for a goalkeeper.
West Ham once broke the world record when signing Phil Parkes from QPR for £500k, but since then, we’ve rarely spent big on keepers. As Martin wrote earlier, options exist for far cheaper ‘keepers in the summer window.
We have a top class goalkeeper already. We should be looking at strikers only given the limited funds available.
Maybe Areola’s distribution looks weak because there is no movement up front.
Blimey, call me old fashioned but isn’t that what an army of coaches are employed to do – improve player’s weaknesses. As others have said we appear to have more urgent matters to address in the next window surely!
Good god if potter really sees one of the main problems as areola then we are truly through the looking glass here gonzo. Goalkeeper should be one of the last positions we look at seeing as our midfield is about as mobile as Stonehenge and we have zero attackers who can stay fit for longer than a ten minute run out.
another nonsense story wont happen we are not a big fish in Europe anymore thanks to the ineptness of the boardroom nope back to the injury prone journeymen who love a big payday…that is the truth the one Brady and Sullivan and co hope you do not see….anyone over £20million will be seen as a risk so forget all the “Marquis” names Gonzo/Sean/Martin come up with as it is pure rubbish.b
‘Marquis’? As in Marquis of Bath? erm…
Please please what’s going on. I despair why goalkeepers wanted. Come on let’s get some strikers after Moyes disaster managing this. Also strengthen midfield. What about giving more Academy players chances.
…. Not forgetting first time around when Bobby Ferguson became the world’s most expensive keeper when he was signed by Ron Greenwood for £65,000 in 1967!
Not feeling this one. Conceded loads in the prem. Go put everything into going to get Keleher from Liverpool