It is easy to forget that new Hammers manager Julen Lopetegui doesn't officially become West Ham United's manager until July the 1st, the very same day that purchases of 'contracted' overseas players can 'officially' begin.
So it is no small wonder that there have been a bewildering number of reports regarding players heading to East London, NONE of them are entirely fact based but are more 'agent' driven as the sock less wonders begin lining up clubs for their players, whether the player or the clubs wants them or not!
In agent parlance, he who makes the most noise often gets the results THEY want, whereas sometimes the really successful ones require no fan fare or loud broadcast to get their deals done. Hammers have been very pro-active in their search for new players but much of the 'news' is merely heresay and is information drip fed to the media by clubs wanting a smoke screen and agents wanting just about everything.
The European championships will also have a determinative effect on who goes where AND more pertinently at what cost. Most clubs apart from those financed directly or indirectly by sovereign states are having to mind their expenditure acutely, some of the figures being banded around are quite ludicrous, the days of clubs spending massively are long gone.
This doesn't mean clubs won't push the boat out for 'marquee' signings, but they will all HAVE to cut their cloth according to their means rather than risking FFP penalties.
Much of Hammers business will be dictated by the goings from the club, players like Aguerd and Zouma could bring in much needed funds for Jlo's extensive rebuild of the squad, the first bit of really good non agent driven news is that Southampton are seriously interested in bringing Danny Ings back to the South Coast for a 'bargain fee' of £6 Million.
If Hammers can get anywhere near that amount they should snap the arms of the bidder! The stumbling block is the ludicrously high wages Ings is on, believed to be North of £125,000 per week. Hopefully, the player will take a pay cut to go and play at a club where he would fit in and be welcomed back with open arms.
We can but hope that an agent can do the business in this instance! - Ed
Comments
Any money
From sales of Ings Zouma and now seemingly Cornet will be good as long as part of the sale does not have us subsidising wages.
Might have enough to buy
Might have enough to buy Sullivan a coffee on sale prices. Wages saved he'll pocket anyway
Not so sure about that
I mean i am partial to a custard doughnut and not sure if those sales would get me a pack!
Agents
I hope we will be doing our player recruitment in a better way with steinden in charge than how we have previously done.I prefer smoke and mirrors keeping people guessing trying to get better bargains and being more successful in achieving your goals.But for actually getting money into the club by player sales somehow i don't feel we will achieve getting much back from Ings,zouma,cornet,Aguerd i would rather give cornet a chance perhaps because moyes never did.
And in true West Ham style a
And in true West Ham style a low ball offer made for Kilman. Why offer £25m when £40m is the lowest they would probably consider.
It will never change Enfield
And whilst i agree with not going in with best offer go to £30million at least in first bid to get negotiations going and meet around the £35/8million mark otherwise it just pisses them off and they will dig heels in and who can blame them....if Chelski say offered £40million for Kudus we'd react the same..