Don't Wait With Bated Breath Barcelona

Some media outlets have been awash with claims that West Ham are closing in on the capture of Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite, others have not. It is silly season for transfer rumours, the more outrageous or illogical tend to get the banner headlines and therefore the Irons 'firmed up interest' in Man City reject Braithwaite comes as no surprise.

Martin Braithwaite was a panic purchase in the last transfer window due to injuries to both of Barca's established strikers, he was never going to make the grade and has been put on the for sale list from the Catalonian club that desperately need to offload players due to the financial effects of the covid-19 pandemic despite their champion's league status.

Match day revenue is especially important for Barca, more so than any Barclays Premier League club, they rely on the income generated by the fans who in essence own the club. Mundo Deportivo state that the Irons are in advanced negotiations to sign the 29-year-old for an £18million fee this summer, well they would say that wouldn't they?

In an attempt to 'lure' other clubs in to splashing the cash for Braithwaite, a not so clever agent thought 'I know, West Ham are always mug enough to pay over the odds for a player who is just about to be 30 years old', I'll say they have put in a bid and hey presto! It might have worked once, but the cupboard is proverbially bare at the London Stadium, El Pel even extracted the spare change from the back of the sofas at Theydon Bois!

The only way Braithwaite is joining the Irons is on loan with Barca paying half his salary, which incidentally is rather high, other than that, don't wait with bated breath for his arrival. - Ed