Forum | General Discussion

Football deals at an elite level are seldom straight forward, as Hammers have found out to their cost in the past mainly due to the club's propensity for conducting their potential business far too much in the public domain, with the usual result being either another club 'sniping in' and nabbing the player, or the deal fizzling out showing just how inept and embarrassing the club's recruitment policy was.

Fortunately that all seems to be changing with David Moyes firmly in control of who comes and who goes, it doesn't mean that there is going to be a seismic change in the club's fortunes not that Moyes will get it right every time, Nikloa Vlasic being a prime example, but steady progress and being linked with 'realistic' targets appears to be the 'new order' of the day.

In keeping with this frugal but effective Red Bull modus operandi, being 'linked' to players like Hertha Berlin's 24-year-old defender Jordan Torunarigha is encouraging and clearly shows that Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman are casting their net far and wide with some 'left field' thinking, excuse the pun.

Hertha Berlin posted a tweet yesterday confirming that Jordan Torunarigha has left their pre-season training camp ahead of an exit from the Olympiastadion this summer. The Bundesliga club's president confirmed that West Ham were prime contenders to take Torunarigha to the Premier League.

At around £5 Million Torunarigha who is by trade a centre back but is equally at home as a left back, seems astonishing value AND he might be so cheap that he flies below Eddie Howe and Newcastle's radar. Signing a left footed player who can cover left back as well as central defence is a no brainer for Moyes, IF he fancies the player.

Moyes's signing's success rate is top notch with only Vlasic and Hugill spoiling his otherwise impressive record, if he can get this one over the line with a minimum of fuss he will have solved a potentially catastrophic situation with one fell swoop. The striker and midfielder deals are currently grabbing all the head lines, BUT an additional centre back who can double up as a left back and is young and athletic will go a long way to securing a more secure start to the season. Anyway the 'Moyesiah' deserves to have a decent, fresh Jordan in his repertoire- Ed

NB: The entire German team walked off after 85 minutes of last year's pre-Olympics friendly with Honduras after Jordan Torunarigha suffered racist abuse. The 2016 silver medallists played the Central Americans in Wakayama, Japan, as they warmed up for their Games campaign which starts on July 22 against champions Brazil. "The game has ended 5 minutes early with the score at 1-1. The Germany players left the pitch after Jordan Torunarigha was racially abused," the German Football Association (DFB) tweeted.

Now there's needy and there's greedy and then there is needy and greedy, which category would most football fans fall within? The answer being the latter at almost EVERY club on the planet, so when there is even a sniff of West Ham 'splurging out' for a top player it is greeted with equal amounts of scepticism and enthusiasm as well as world weary realism by supporters who have seen and heard every smoke and mirrors trick in the book and some that are still yet to be added!

Hammers 'public' pursuit of a striker to replace Sebastien Haller has been a source of rich pickings for journalists and bloggers, as well as an acute sense of continued embarrassment for the club, but that is seemingly all about to change with the purported potential signing of Armando Broja, Gianlucca Scamacca or both strikers!

As can safely be established the Irons hierarchy have not gone bonkers, but they may have finally learned how to 'play the game' when it comes to 'high level' signings. You don't try and 'make an offer' for one of the main courses if you are taking your parents or your partner out for an anniversary meal at one of Gordon Swearalot's restaurants do you?

It is called 'dining at the top table', in doing so there are certain protocols to be observed in order for events to 'flow smoothly', knowing how to 'play the game' at the highest level is tantamount to success and small shoots of growth have been seen in that area in recent weeks.

Will David Moyes and Rob Newman sign BOTH Armando Broja and Gianlucca Scamacca? The answer is a most definite NO! Ask if they are planning to be rejected or used as a bargaining tool by an agent to hike up price and the answer would be a resounding YES! That is why they are pursuing both players, because they actually mean to BUY one of them and NOT say "we tried but failed" and then reel of the usual list of tired and lame excuses.

Don't forget there are gaping holes to be filled in midfield and at left back and that is BEFORE adding strength in depth, in reality Moyes and Co NEED a LOT of players but have perhaps not bothered to pass that stress onto the owners who have only panicked in the past. - LN