The continuing doubts as to when, if ever, the Barclays Premier League 2019-2020 season will be completed occupy the sports headlines, with extension after extension being mooted until there is physically no time left to fulfil all the remaining fixtures. That situation in itself throws up more questions than answers, but one reality is that there are many players at clubs whose contracts are due to expire in June, what will the situation be with regards to them?
Irrespective of a club's wealth, there will come a time when even most of the best financed clubs will have to consider their position with regards to honoring existing contracts, terminating those that are due to finish, and seeking to sign players up on new contracts. West Ham United are in a slightly unfortunate position in that they have several 'high' earners that are still under contract that they would like to cut from the wages bill, but no one else really wants them. Jack Wilshere's £100,000 per week is at the top of the list, he has the remainder of this season* and another full year in addition until his contract expires.
Winston Reid has moved on loan to Sporting Kansas City, but they are only paying 15% of his £85,000 per week wages, Reid is contracted to West Ham United until 30.06.2023. However, although his wages aren't that high, the real Turkey in the shop window is Roberto Jimenez Gago, the worst goal keeper ever to have donned the gloves for the Irons, and that is saying something if you remember the likes of Peter Grotier back in the day! Astonishingly despite being loaned out to Deportivo Alavés, Gago is due to return to the London Stadium and pick up another £35,000 per week for another entire season!
The in excess of £200,000 per week being frittered away on these injury prone, or completely useless players would provide enough funding for two or three 'young tearaways' from the lower leagues, and yes David Moyes was responsible for the signing of the spectacularly unimpressive Jordan Hugill for £8-10 Million from Preston on a very lucrative £35,000 per week which expires on 30.06.2023, Hugill is currently on loan at QPR in the Championship where he has performed quite well accruing ten league and two cup goals, but he is definitely not worth the fee that West Ham paid Preston North End.
The signing of Jarred Bowen is similar to that of Hugill's, with the exception that Bowen is a proven natural out and out goal striker capable of scoring goals anywhere from a playing field to a top stadium, he wasn't cheap, but he is quality. When the Corona Virus Covid 19 'dust' finally settles, there will be extensive and long overdue 'culling' of what is an unbalanced squad that currently has too much dead weight attached to it.
When fans are eventually able to return to watching 'live' games, the sight of a fast paced and youthful West Ham will be a delight for those hankering after the good times that they experienced in Slaven Billic's first year, football that was of course aided and choreographed by Le Snake. -Ed
