Compared with Graham Potter’s reported reluctance last summer to sign a striker, the winter window coming in ten weeks offers more promise of West Ham finally signing the frontman they’ve been short of, for arguably three seasons.
Antonio’s decline was ignored and the signing of thirty one year old Fullkrug – who’d never played league football outside of the Bundesliga – turned out to be a colossal own goal costing £27 million.
Most recently the loan capture of Evan Ferguson was perhaps the most perplexing, with Potter signing his protege on loan and then ignoring him completely.
Ironically it is another loan signing that is being talked about again this winter: Joshua Zirkzee of Manchester United doesn’t have the same instant fan-appeal as Ivan Toney: A proven goal scorer with 72 goals for Brentford, Toney has been discounted largely because of his high wages and the huge tax implications of a loan move back to the UK.
However, just this afternoon Sun journalist Alan Nixon makes the sensational claim that West Ham are all over Toney’s situation :
Fresh report today – “West Ham plot Toney deal”
And are already apparently ‘working on a solution’: If true, fans just might get a little excited at the prospect of the 29 year old arriving at London Stadium just in time to dig the Hammers out of a very big relegation – worry shaped hole.
You’d think that West Ham will ‘probably not’ move for Toney in January – but then again…
Toney, for his part, reportedly wants to try and resuscitate his England career, so a six month spell in the Premier League with guaranteed game time could do his prospects for next summer the world of good.
Too early yet for Hammers fans to get their hopes up – there’s still the small matter of Toney’s massive weekly wages to discuss with his current employer. But if true, the development offers real hope of a decent, nay world class, front man strutting his stuff at London stadium.
What is it with west ham and aged strikers.
For Ivan Toney to come to the Hammers he would not be playing for peanuts. And no, I’m not referring to Sullivan and co, I’m saying he won’t come cheap. No low-ball offers. Can we still get a high street bank to loan us some more money? If not then maybe Cash Converters might accept some items that our Chairman might no longer need. We have to find some money from somewhere!
I see the transfer nonsense has started 3 months early. Demonstrations, boycotts and out of the blue links to strikers that West Ham are not getting pop up . I’m waiting for West Ham have to sell before they buy routine to start again. The silly season has started early and people fall for it every time. You’d thought we would have wised up to this nonsense from Sullivan and Brady by now.
We already have one of the best divers in our team, aka Lucas Paqueta. If we were able to link one of the very best penalty takers in the world, aka Ivan Toney, with our talented diver, can you imagine the potential for goals from spot kicks? Could be a match made in heaven!
He’s a decent striker but think “world-class” is a bit of a stretch.
That said, if we can get him on loan and only have to cover around 15-20% of his wages then should definitely be looking into it. But if Al-Ahli are looking for at least £200k to be covered then it might be a bit too steep, unfortunately.
Even more unfortunate is that like (Charlie) Cresswell, Viktor Gyokeres and a host of others, we could have had him back when he was at Peterborough for £5m but turned down the chance.
When Ivan was at Peterborough, Barry Fry had ten bargains ready for us.
Painted as Potter turning down a striker but in truth Potters not going to turn down a top striker if they was offered to him. Truth is he was probably told midfielder or striker but we can’t afford both. Then Sullivan puts it out there that Potter was offered a striker but he didn’t want one.
Please make our dreams come true. Up to you Ivan.
We could have had him 10 years ago for peanuts !