£4 Million For Dawson Or Reid For Free?

West Ham United's pursuit of a centre back have taken on almost 'boxed set' proportions, one after the other targets have fallen by the way side for a variety of reasons, NOT always the club's fault. The 'fear' story doing the rounds is Hammers' interest in twice relegated 30 year old 'Les' Dawson from Championship team Watford, a bang average player at best, the mooted £4 Million fee is outrageous, the Hornets should be paying clubs to take Dawson of their wage bill instead!

Across 'the pond', Winston Reid scored his first goal for MLS side Sporting Kansas City while on loan from the Irons, helping his side beat Chicago Fire 1-0 on Wednesday night, 32 year old Reid joined Sporting Kansas on loan in February for the 2020 campaign, but has been made to wait for his debut due to the suspension of football. He eventually made that debut in August, coming in and out of the side as looked to regain his fitness, the 25-time New Zealand international played his seventh match of the season on Wednesday night as Sporting Kansas hosted Chicago Fire and scored with one of his trade mark headers.

Reid's loan, which sees West Ham paying 80% of his £80,000 per week wages, finishes in December, not long before the transfer window opens again, surely it makes more sense to recall Reid rather than take a punt on Dawson or any of the other bargain basement players that are available. Admitedly it would leave the club with just three established centre backs, however the urgent need has dissipated because Fabian Balbuena has stepped up to the plate and must have impressed David Moyes with his recent performances.

It should be remembered that prior to his unfortunate and dreadful injury sustained as he fell awkwardly to the floor while unconscious, Reid was one of the first people on the managers' team sheet, he also scored that 'epic goal' at the Boleyn. Reid was handed a five year deal back in 2018 in order to fend of genuine interest from a whole host of clubs, now that he has proven his fitness it would be shear madness to not recall him.

As we are constantly being told, money is tight, so why not recall Reid, a very good player who the club fully supported during his rehabilitation, and get the best out of him? If things go wrong he can always go out on loan again. - Ed