Forum | General Discussion

News that Dan Chesters has joined Salford from West Ham will come as a bit of a blow to those who are hoping that Hammers excellent youth players might be given a chance to step up to the plate under the club's new regime, however all is not lost as two 'mature' youth players have been offered new 'realistic' deals that may tempt them to stay at the club when it seemed that they were both off to pastures new!

Divin Mubama and Ben Johnson have both been offered new no-nonsense deals since the arrival of Julen Lopetigui and it is hoped that they will BOTH accept the deals put on the table. Their signings would help Hammers homegrown quota and also save the club an awful lot of money in the process.

If Lopetigui and Tim Steidten can repair the 'damage' caused by David Moyes' eclectic usage of these young players talent then it will be a win win situation for all parties concerned because it is quite frankly ludicrous to see talent nurtured and financed by the club for so many years just evaporate into the ether!

Both players are not short of suitors, but the opportunity of a fresh start under a head coach who believes in them just sway the deals on offer. It is not as if the club doesn't desperately need to 'bump up' the number of squad players while bringing the average age of the squad down is it?

There are several other 'gems' just champing at the bit to be given a fair crack of the whip and their promotion to the main squad could be a breath of fresh air as they mix with the senior players who have been round the block and back!

It is only by blending experience and fresh talent that Hammers will be able to afford the total rebuild of the ageing and imbalanced squad left by David Moyes. - Ed

As the media 'thunder wagon' of rumours gets up to full pelt it is worth remembering that contracted players cannot be signed before June the 14th, for International players the window doesn't open until July the 1st!

So all the names of potential arrivals are currently mere conjecture, given Hammers need almost a total squad rebuild the names mentioned are a plenty. One issue that has to be addressed is the 'home grown' issue. To that purpose Tim Steidten is looking to sign peripheral players like Wes Fotheringham for low wages to tick the required boxes, which seems rather prudent.

Buying old and resigning old players like the Sheffield keeper and Aaron Cresswell might seem like a backward step but they will help fill the quota at minimum cost, whereas young English and GB players attract a massive premium.

One suspects there is going to be quite a lot of smoke and mirrors involved in the REAL Steidten player targeting, but unlike previous transfer windows the signs are that he intends to get Hammers business done quickly in order to provide his head coach with the tools of the trade well ahead of the beginning of the season, that in itself is worth between three and ten extra points per season.

As things stand the potential Paqueta windfall has all but evaporated, but if the player gets his head down and plays to his undoubted abilities the club will surely benefit and NOT have to find a like for like replacement.

If there is a bidding war for Aguerd then those funds can go straight into the transfer kitty, bolstering it by as much as £40 Million. That is not to say that Steidten hasn't got to be frugal in his purchases, but he built the Dortmund team on a shoestring and there is no reason he can't do it at West Ham!

Of course fans WILL be disappointed when 'big names' join other clubs, but it is about time that players were purchased for the good of the team and NOT just to appease disgruntled fans, it is the only way for the club to progress efficiently and effectively. -LN

Rumour has it among the 'click bait' elite and other media platforms that newly promoted Southampton are keen to reunite themselves with their ex-player Danny Ings. 31 year Old Ings enjoyed an incredibly fruitful time while he was at St Marys before moving to Aston Villa and a move would seem to suit all parties.

There is however one massive elephant in the room and that is Ings' astronomic wages, he is currently on £130,000 per week which will be far too rich for the Saints, so the player would have to take a massive salary cut in order for the deal to go through and for West Ham to receive even a fraction of what they paid Villa for the ex-England International.

Ings endured a torrid time at Stratford with a measly four goals scored in all his Premier League appearances, he was SO unsuited to 'Moyesball' that when he did play he looked like a very unfit fish out of water!

If and it is a big if, Ings can be moved on his wages could be used to pay TWO DECENT signings, so it is to be hoped that this one has some legs on it. Any deal brokered is however, probably going to have the caveat of Flynn Downes being involved, as the Saints are keen on making the midfielder's loan deal a permanent arrangement.

Downes would be a useful home grown player to add to the Hammers depleted squad, but he may be the sacrifice required in order to move Ings on! - Ed