Lukasz Fabianski is out of contract in the summer, as is Ryan Fredericks and Robert Snodgrass, Michail Antonio, Mark Noble and Fabian Balbuena! That's a fair few, some of whom you would expect to get 'instant' renewal, others not so. Realistically the price of signing a new top class keeper is well beyond the financial reaches of West Ham, so a new contract for a couple of years seems inevitable.
Fabianski initially struggled when he came back from the serious groin injuries he had sustained, however he has now returned to his best,and while he may be pushing on a bit, he makes up for his lack of speed with his nous acquired from so many years in the top flight. Fabianski's eventual successor will come from one of the club's several very decent young keepers, with Nathan Trott leading the line, with added competition from Joseph Anang.
Next up for consideration is Fabian Balbuena, deemed surplus to requirements by David Moyes, Balbuena 'The General took his opportunity when Issa Diop tested positive for Covid-19, and hasn't looked back since. His relatively low wages and long term relationship with the rest of the squad added to his desire to stay at The London Stadium means he must surely be nailed on to sign a new contract as opposed to just a one year extension. Retaining Balbuena will save the club an absolute fortune in fees, an aspect that will not have gone unnoticed by the club's hierarchy.
Micahial Antonio is a tricky one, on his day he is virtually unplayable, unfortunately the price he pays for his 'bamboozling' style is regular injuries to his hamstrings! Realistically he is only ever really going to be able to play 50% of the games in a season, so his contract extension will be reviewed with that in mind, although there shouldn't really be a problem unless Antonio's agent decides to go 'all billy big bollocks' during the negotiations.
Now we reach 'the rest', lumping captain Mark Noble in to 'the rest' category may seem disrespectful given the outstanding service that he has given the club, but renewing his £50,000 per week contract is a decision easily made by the heart, probably not so easily by the 'bean counters' at the club.
Robert Snodgraas has been a decent player for the club despite his early experiences, replacing Dimitri Payet was always going to be too tall an order! However the Scot forced his way back in to the thinking of ex-manager Manuel Pellegrini, and to a slightly lesser extent that of David Moyes. 'Snoddy' would welcome a return to Celtic, and such a move could happen during the January transfer window with West Ham seeking little or no transfer fee.
Finally we reach Ryan Fredericks, he of electric pace, the likes of which have rarely graced the Barclays Premier League! Regrettably the story ends there, in a similar way to the end product of his electrifying runs, in a blind alley. At the end of virtually all of Frederick's involvement featuring his rampaging down the wing in the top flight, a skill that had been honed in the Championship while at Fulham, was a 'rabbit in the head lights moment' when he would play an ineffectual pass, or just lose the ball, after all his and invariably his team mates' efforts.
Unfortunately Fredericks has also endured a torrid time with injuries, and it is those, in addition with his poor decision making at critical moments in a game that wil see him being shipped out during the January window, he is ost definitely NOT a bad player, merely one who's undoubted talents would be best served either in the Championship or possibly in the Middle East or far East Leagues.
There is still an obvious need to re-inforce David Moyes' squad, but a level head in these sometime difficult circumstances will be necessary in order to ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new, there are other 'peripheral' players approaching the end of their contracts who will also sit down with David Moyes as well as their advisors to 'seek the right path'. - Ed
