West Ham v Bournemouth | Regular’s inconsistency makes summer spend essential

The summer shopping list is already pretty long at West Ham. Well-documented departures and expiring contracts mean several squad replacements are already on head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay’s ‘must have’ list. The maddening inconsistency of one first team regular means that another purchase is becoming an ‘essential’.

Being nominated for ‘Premier League save of the month’ in March and then committing the type of schoolboy-level howler that cost West Ham a win yesterday shows Alphonse Areola at both his best and his worst. The French stopper has little competition for the jersey now with only the veteran Lucas Fabianski at 40 and third choice Wes Foderingham ready to deputise.

Apart from the spilled save that allowed Bournemouth’s Evanilson the simplest of poacher’s goals, Areola is shaky with the ball at his feet and unsuited to the way in which Graham Potter wants to play.

Which means West Ham simply have to bring in a top quality keeper in the summer. Whilst the Hammers have a number of young up and coming goal keepers in the academy or out on loan, none of them are Premier League-ready and a serious challenger or direct replacement for Areola is essential.

Articles written this Spring  suggest West Ham have been linked to Aaron Ramsdale, Nick Pope and James Trafford – supporters will certainly hope that the Hammers aspire to better than the bottom clubs’ keeper. ( West Ham already tried that trick last summer by acquiring Foderingham from relegated Sheffield United- fine as a training or ’emergency’ keeper but ‘clean sheet Wes’ is no more than that).

Burnley’s Trafford would be a better buy should the Clarets not achieve their promotion: What is clear is that ‘doing nothing’ is not an option in an already crucial up-and-coming transfer window.