West Ham United‘s plans to offload up to nine first-team players are ambitious but an important part of balancing the books following the big cheques paid out for new signings. In the past the club has been pretty average at managing player sales, with a long list of those who’ve cost us more than £10 million each in net loss including Scamacca, Vlasic, Benrahma, Issa Diop, Seb Haller and Felipe Anderson.
While the club aims to reshape the squad and create space for new signings, it is unlikely that all would go in one massive clearout: The Times reported yesterday that Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Konstantinos Mavropanos, James Ward-Prowse, Maxwel Cornet, Tomas Soucek, Danny Ings and Michail Antonio can all potentially leave. More likely to be a combination of ‘some of the above’ depending on what happens with our recruitment in the rest of the window, and frankly, whose wages are highest and how much we can obtain back into the bank.
The potential departures of current international players like Vladimir Coufal, Nayef Aguerd , Mavropanos and Tomas Soucek are most likely if clubs can be found to meet their wage demands: Demoting these players to the bench or ‘cup games’ is unlikely to satisfy them as they look to continue their international careers.
Lopetegui has shown a ruthless or single minded streak depending on your view of the players under scrutiny: Club Captain Kurt Zouma was unceremoniously tapped on the shoulder and asked to leave, so none of the others can feel ‘safe’ from the axe.
Tim Steidten has his work cut out now to bring some of these player sales to fruition before the end of August. The Recruitment team has worked impressively so far and I think we can have every confidence that even as we write, the deals are being lined up for several of the squad.
I can’t believe we are actively trying to sell Aguerd, Mavrapanos or Souchek and Coufal unless we have better players to replace them with. All those are first team quality players that are needed in the squad as backup subs even if they are not playing. We need two players in every position and we need four defenders minimum. If loopy wants to play three at the back then we probably need five defenders.
Shows how much you know about football, coufal was appalling v villa not just out of position time after time but literally handed villa the entire freedom of the left flank for 90% of the game. It’s frightening how some people view quality at the highest level. Glad you’re not in charge of transfers
I can only see 3 or 4 of that list leaving West Ham this month……and one includes Zouma (even if they cancel his contract) Aguerd, Cornet or Ings being the others
They will have to pay most of them to leave. Need two forwards forget Ings and Antonio. Coufal has to stay as we only have AWB .It seems getting rid of players has been overlooked. Two CB on the list hope replacements are lined up.
Ings is rumoured to be on 120k a week.I can’t see any club paying that so unless he is willing to take a pay cut he will probably see the season out.
You have to ask yourself who’s idea was it to put him on such ridiculous wages?
According to carious internet sources, Danny Ings is in the final year of his deal, worth £6.5mil. or £125,000 per week.
He’s only 10 months away from being a FA. So any team is likely to be able to sign him for pennies, if not a Free, and suck it up for his £5.5mil remaining contract.
He’s stated he wants to stay and play for Loopy, IMHO it makes little sense to ‘off him’ now.
The fact cresswell is not on that list is absolutely staggering.
Ings seems to me to be performing better this season. (Early days yet though I know.) Maybe it’s just a case if being more comfortable with Loppety Guy, plus needIng more game time.
Name me one Moyes signing that we sold at a profit, just one?
Nope, no one can because the chancer devalued all of them with his negative style of football and his cold shoulder so called man management skills.
Thank God he’s gone
Craig Dawson
Bit confused as we had a small squad last season. Never replaced Fornals, Kehrer or Benny in January and since then (all three now left) we have lost, Johnson, Mubama, Ogbonna and Trott. Earthy has gone out on Loan and Zouma unlikely to play any part (imagine he would be paid off). Downes returned and has been sold and Phillips returned to City. I am not for one minute suggesting any of the above would be a first eleven but ultimately we have just replaced leavers with other players (and far better ones at that). However, they still made up the squad and most were either in the fist eleven or on the bench. Yes, we have had a good window but in terms on inns and outs, there is not really much in it in terms of physical numbers.