Last month – before the Hammers launched their bid for Manor Solomon, several targets were in play as West Ham cast the net far and wide for their Crysencio Summerville replacement. Paying just £5 million for the former Spurs winger looks an excellent piece of transfer business by Nils Koppen, even allowing for the add-ons likely should the Irons secure promotion possibly increasing the eventual fee to a still bargain basement £7 million.
Few see that as an end to the Hammers’ business as far as a wide man is concerned.
Without cover for the notoriously injury-prone Solomon or Jarrod Bowen on the right hand side – who simply cannot be expected to play every game of this Championship campaign – then West Ham will be in trouble.
Cue the suggestions that the Hammers may look once again at a left footed, right winger – who can play across the front line – with reports suggest that the Irons will return to one of their previous targets who has now had a higher transfer value slapped on his head following interest from West Ham.
According to footballleagueworld.co.uk:
“Bolton and West Ham learn Brighton’s Amario Cozier-Duberry valuation”
Linked with the Hammers earlier in the window, Amario Cozier-Duberry
..Brighton have placed a £10 million valuation on Cozier-Duberry after turning down a £7 million bid from Rangers…Several other clubs are also weighing up moves for the attacker before the close of the window”
We can but hope! A significant improvement on the suggestion that West Ham were still looking at Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson despite the well published injury issues. But beggars cannot be choosers and the Hammers have to get their squad numbers from somewhere.
Much will depend on the funding situation should el Hadji Malick Diouf’s transfer be green lighted at close to £40 million as we covered earlier. There’d be little excuse for not proceeding with a £10 million winger in that case, despite the many other squad requirements.
This summer reminds me of our relegation in 2003, the sale of our best players, and the rebuild with the likes of Etherington, Lee, Horlock and Connolly being signed in the summer transfer window.
This all sounds a bit panicky, poor performance against Burnley only proves it’s not going to be the breeze a lot of people are predicting and it doesn’t help being led by a manager who at best is primarily defensive and at worst clueless, let’s just keep lauding all the excuses, we were too good to go down, now we are so good we can’t fail to be promoted, we shall see !