Loan, loan, loan could be the order of the day during the summer transfer window, as Hammers boss David Moyes attempts to do a 'loaves and fishes' with what will, at least compared to other clubs, be a meagre transfer budget. The club's need for a striker has become somewhat of a broken record, with Moyes apparently looking at over 25 players.
Realistically Moyes HAS to somehow acquire an out and out striker, a combative midfielder, an additional centre back, a new wing back and an eventual replacement for Lukasz Fabianski, although replacing the latter is a 'slow burner' that might get carried over to the next season by which time his contract will have expired and he will be 37 years old and approaching his 38th birthday, Darren Randolph the club's current number two keeper is only a couple of years younger.
There will be the inevitable smoke and mirrors with regards to Hammers eventual transfer budget, the figure could be increased by player sales, but in reality the club don't have a lot of saleable 'items' to put in the shop window. What is more likely is that savings can be made by moving high earners on from the club where possible despite, maybe losing substantially on their original purchase price.
Hopes of signing Jesse lingard on a permanent basis are dwindling significantly, the better he plays for West Ham the more his price goes up, and the more other teams will want to try and sign him, this was the folly of not securing 'right to buy' clause in his loan deal. Similarly signing Tammy Abraham on loan would probably have the same caveat attached, because there is no way on this God's earth that West Ham can afford the mooted £45 Million Chelsea are asking for the striker. However Chelsea would be looking to have a 'lingard' effect from the deal, with Abraham returning with games under his belt that boost his value.
The obvious 'high earner' targets are Yarmolenko and Reid, between them they earn in excess of a staggering £10 Million per year! The other elephant in the room is Felipe Anderson, his value has dropped like a stone during his highly disappointing loan spell at Porto, on the players return to the London Stadium David Moyes will either have to somehow work his magic and 'convert' Anderson, or ship him out at tremendous financial loss for a fraction of the whopping £36 Million paid for him during Manuel Pellegrini's disastrous tenure.
Perhaps Moyes can turn things round for Anderson, although given Moyes's dislike of 'lazy flair' players, and the treatment that he dishes out to the hard working Said Benrahma, and before him Jarrod Bowen , things don't bode well for Anderson's prospects.
On a more positive note, there are a plethora of young talented West Ham players coming through the Academy, and some will make the grade by inclusion in match day squads. David Moyes is notorious for keeping his cards close to his chest, and is probably 'amused' by some of the players he has been 'linked' with, hopefully the smoke and mirrors that is usually connected with a West Ham transfer window, especially when negotiations were being conducted by David Sullivan and broadcast to the media by Sullly Jnr.
The club has come along way in a year, it is now at a cross roads where 'studious' and well diligenced acquisitions could make all the difference, it remains to be seen just how much Moyes will be backed by the board, and how long they can keep their mouths shut for!. - Ed
