Having gone through the ups and downs of the last week of the transfer window without adding to their front line options, Hammers owners and management will have been dismayed at seeing how fast their striker options crumbled with the Niclas Fullkrug injury on Thursday evening. The poor guy didn’t even complete the warm up before a calf muscle injury ended his international break.
Which, after all the hype and huffing and puffing and claims of ‘working night and day’ laid the West Ham squad reality out for everyone to see. One fit thirty three year old on a free transfer – Callum Wilson – who was rejected by Newcastle as too injury prone. That is the only goal scoring option left open to West Ham just three weeks into a Premier League campaign.
Regrets? You’d hope so.
However the peculiar nature of the transfer rules mean there are still options to sign out-of-contract players after the normal window has closed. Apart from the usual flotsam and jetsam of injured, past it and troublesome mischief makers, one very attractive, hugely talented striker has just forced a contract end and is available to West Ham right now on a free contract.
What better use of the Nayef Aguerd €20 million transfer fee than on the ‘signing on-bonus’ and salary for a hugely talented, fast, goal scoring proven striker.
Just for once, West Ham board, read the room and the state of ‘your’ club.
Former Santos striker and 2023 West Ham target Marcos Leonardo was on David Moyes list back in 2023 when he was described as the ‘Special Antonio successor”. Two years on and after his move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal failed (who’d have thought it) as he couldn’t get named in their match day squad and has forced a contract termination-and is now a free agent.
Tim Steidten even held talks with the Brazilian – who’d be a shoe-in at West Ham with three countrymen already in the match day squad. Reported wages at Al Hilal of €96k a week – about £83,000 – would place the 22 year old in the middle of squad earnings at West Ham.
Just for once, you’d hope West Ham might show some ambition. David Sullivan has a golden opportunity to spike the guns of huge swathes of protesters with a Leonardo-shaped ‘gift’ to Potter and a striker-starved fanbase who have seen their side operate without a proper replacement for Michail Antonio for two seasons.
How many of us need to send this article to Sullivan so he’s 100% aware of the situation?
Am sure there will be a lot of suitors though if he can’t score in Saudi leagues there has to be question marks on his ability to score outside of Brazil.
The Board have been proven incompetent and so too has Potter with his yesteryear tactics and assertion that he doesn’t need a striker . Because of this there is only a vanishingly small chance of an out of contract player being signed by Westham .
Looking at the lad’s stats, he’s hardly been a failure in Saudi…. in one season over there, 17 goals in 24 games, including 2 as they knocked City out of the World whatever it was last summer.
There has to more to it than he’s not playing.
Of course this assumes the club hierarchy are even aware of this news. I daresay they don’t read these sites, and I have no faith in their scouting…
Let’s see what ambition our directors really have
Let hope they sign him m up with the next couple of days
It’s all to do with pecking order.
Similar situation as Chelsea who also have a strong squad sitting on the bench.
Their backs are against the wall regarding main strikers.
Delap injured / Jackson almost sold / Palmer injured .
List as having 13 strikers don’t know how they can be struggling.
Leonardo is going to be good option and better than Aguerds fee sitting in Sully’s wallet
We can sign free agents outside the transfer window, but not him.
He would have to have been a free agent before the window closed for us to be able to sign him.
We can sign him now and start training integration with the rest of the lads but can’t register him until the winter window to play with the first team
Desperate times need desperate answers . Do a earn as you play with goal bonus deal and perhaps we get lucky . Surely it is worth a shout . We have no credible back up if and when Wilson gets injured . Disgraceful position to be in . The money wasted getting a keeper should have been invested in a goal scorer . Fabianski would have been fine as a back up for first part of the season . At least we have cover in goal . It is not the area that needed most strengthening or investment this summer with the shortage of funds . The miss management of the whole club is scarey for the future .
Peter I think you will find out that it was Fabianski who chose not to have another contract which as I understand was offered to him. By his own admission he felt his body was not up to the day to day training anymore to play in the premiership. That comes from someone who has regular contact with the first team squad mate
Martin I agree that we should have signed a younger striker – but we shouldn’t let a good story get in the way of the facts
It is my understanding that Newcastle did in fact make an offer to Callum Wilson on a pay as you play basis – but he chose a similar offer from us – he has never been short of self belief so must have thought that he would force his way into the team – time will tell
Mikey turned down a similar offer so perhaps he has doubts in himself after his accident
Our number 9 is now Callum Wilson – let us support him for now and wait until the end of the season for recriminations
COYI
Zahama you are 100% right that’s exactly what the situation was. Also Micky was struggling prior to his accident and wanted a move. His accident was awful and he was lucky not to lose his leg. He unfortunately will not be able to get to the level for the premiership again
A fortunate development, but then the way the club is run relies heavily on luck. Get Lucas to ring him before the chance is lost.
By the time Sullivan gets to try and sign him up other clubs will have already done so. If he can’t get a game out in Saudi he can’t be any good let’s face it their league is no where close to the premier league so that’s a concern it may be his face didn’t fit or he fell out with the manager . Whatever the reason I guess a striker is better than no striker if he has a eye for goal in previous years then he would be worth a punt
Dont be silly The board do the obvious
If he couldn’t get into their match day squad he must be great……
I’m shocked 🤣
Agreed……
But just a point of correction. THEY are the current owners, but make no mistake, it is OUR CLUB!
We have nowhere to run as it is, Our Club and as supporters, we can sometimes underestimate the power that we have, but together we can and will change the way these owners operate to use Our Club as a cash cow, instead of how it was meant to be run.
He’s not making a mistake… he knows it’s our club, and was being sarcastic, hence putting ‘your club’ rather than your club…
Really?
Believe it when i see it…and what kind of shape is the man in?6 months to get upto prem standard another three to bed in that’s the usual nonsense spouted…..but Sullivan wasting wages like that on an unknown player well under thirty and not injury prone lol yeah..send Brady in to negotiate and kill any kind of deal!