Away from the very much-publicised search to bring a striker to London Stadium this window, West Ham have been hard at it playing catch up to bring in midfield and defensive talent during the January window, just over 48 hours to go and no signings- the pressure mounts.
Belgian 22 year old defender Koni de Winter was today one of the latest to be linked with the club: Whether or not a transfer materialises he is the latest player to be linked with Graham Potter’s side who possesses youth on his side. Evan Ferguson at 20 is hotly tipped to join the club too.
Look at some of the other players linked with West Ham this winter: Eli Junior Kroupi, an 18 year old. Celtic youngster Daniel Cummings. 18 year -old striker, Tyler Morton from Liverpool, just 22. Brian Brobbey, just 22. James McAtee, Manchester City’s midfield talent, just 22. I could go on.
Finally it seems the recruitment is looking to the future. No more Fullkrug or Rodriguez cock-ups. Whoever West Ham bring in should be an appreciating asset rather than a thirty-something player relying on past glories for one last pay day. The jury is still out on Ferguson with his injury issues bit – if West Ham do get a deal over the line it will be because he’s affordable only because he’s got a poor injury record.
Ferguson with two healthy ankles would be back near the £60 million plus that Duran just earned Aston Villa. So it seems both for the longevity and success of the signings and the PSR benefits that buying players with an increasing residual value will bring to the club after years of losing millions on transfers – the Potter era is set to pay dividends. Finally the penny has dropped that younger players are the future. Providing they get one of the deals above over the line – and hoping that the only ‘incoming’ isn’t a 29 year old André Silva.
Even so, in that eventuality, he’d be a loan-only so wouldn’t cost anything and would allow the summer budget to be spent wisely in August instead of blown on another thirty – something Danny Ings carbon copy disaster.
Sound analysis – and encouraging. Feeling optimistic about the club’s future
All good having youn targets but we have signed no one this late in the window , shambled
Hopefully this supposed focus on young players means we keep hold of Guilherme, think Junior Kroupi would be a good signing but don’t think Sullivan will sign anyone this window
Although it seems in our attempts to sign young talent we haven’t quite appreciated that you have to pay the price.
We still seems to expect to pay knock down prices, or get ‘try before you buy’ deals for Club’s best and coveted players.
There needs to be not just a shift in target identification, but also a shift in fee expectations and deal structure.
What is good at long bloody last is all these so called “insiders” will be flushed out, and you lot will have no clue who we are going after until the deal is done, by junping on every story printed and highlighting it, you are not helping the club one bit, its all a complete waste of time and make targets public, drives up price and makes other clubs aware on who we are chasing. I , like most fans would rather know once deals are actually done and not guessing or simply making stuff up.
Time to grow up lads and print less, you dont need to write 4 or 5 articles a day!
Yes brilliant idea we only want to know who have brought but we need more younger players
Well said Peter, couldn’t agree more. On Friday C&H were praising the new professional approach shown by the club in maintaining radio silence and stopping leaks, yet within 24 hours posted news on supposed links to players from other sites! They are not the only West Ham site to do this but it certainly doesn’t help.
All this does is undermine Graham’s efforts to keep targets under wraps until deals are completed.
It feels like GP has taken a firm hold of the reigns.
Should no one be signed in this window, I’ll be fine with that.
I see dead wood being jettisoned in the summer, youth being promoted, and youthful signings that improve the team coming in.
Don’t imagine us being more than mid-table this season.
But moving on, I think we’ll see a huge improvement next season, and an improvement each season moving forward.
GP seems like a man with a plan, and we need to understand that might take 3 or 4 seasons to achieve.
I’m very happy with what I’ve seen so far.
James M from City would be a great signing imo. Right age and has a bit about him too
everyone likes to sh@t on rodriguez when he was one of our best performers at the club early season and only struggled when he was told to play a role that’s completely unsuited to him
and when got on a free and is one of the lowest paid senior players in the club
yet everyone continues to s@t on him
it’s so annoying
I agree I like him as a player
Because he is awful
How much time to you spend watching Rodriegez?
Nothing awful about him, is he Declan Rice? no.
Yeah, In your opinion, he’s so awful, he started for Argentina as they became World Champions 2 years ago.
Just 47hrs to go and as I told you all at the, start of the window their would be know 1st team signings in this, window was i right of course i was and come 11pm Monday when the window closes that will still be the case, sullivan is, all about making money not spending it.
Pongo, I hope your prediction is better than your writing! There is a free app called Grammarly which can auto correct your spelling and grammar errors, including where and where not to insert commas. It’s very useful.
As for us not signing any players this window, you obviously do know our club’s history since Sullivan took over ownership. Right now it looks like history repeating itself but I hope you are wrong. I guess we will all just have to watch this space!
Pongo,
So you are confident the breaking news that Evan Ferguson loan deal being agreed, is not true then?
Looks like it’s definitely true, as long as he passes his medical. Hope they turn a blind eye to his ankles!
Pongo your prediction didn’t age well. Hope you’re not a betting man.