West Ham fans may have reason to be concerned as a journalist’s claim suggests the club have made a surprising U-turn on Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The change in stance comes with West Ham struggling to get their summer transfer window rebuild underway due to a lack of funds.
It is the worst kept secret in football that the Hammers must sell to buy this summer.
West Ham fans have been up in arms about the situation – with some demanding David Sullivan and co sell up to more ambitious owners.
Amid rising fan frustration, West Ham’s board stated ‘anything is possible’ regarding doing business before making sales, secure in the knowledge that several players will be offloaded.
There has been positive news on that front this weekend.
After positives comes new West Ham negative
First there was a big Mohammed Kudus breakthrough for West Ham after major news from Chelsea overnight.
Now Roma have essentially guaranteed the Hammers a return on Nayef Aguerd after a number of reported suitors went elsewhere.
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It has been quicker to list the players who aren’t for sale at West Ham this summer.
The likes of Kudus, Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri, Niclas Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez and Konstantinos Mavropanos are available for sale.
It has also been claimed the Hammers would entertain offers for Edson Alvarez, Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola too.
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Up to now it has been stated in the corridors of power at West Ham that skipper Jarrod Bowen, smash hit Aaron Wan-Bissaka and exciting winger Crysencio Summerville are the only untouchables in the current squad.
But now West Ham appear to have performed a seriously worrying U-turn on their second best player after a journalist’s new claim.
The Hammers board dropped a £100m bombshell last week – stating that would be the level of losses in the club’s next accounts in December.
Now, one week on, The Evening Standard reporter Dom Smith has made an alarming new statement.
West Ham were one of several clubs who are grateful the bottom three were so bad last season.
West Ham perform worrying U-turn on second best player
By the run-in the Hammers were battling it out to avoid finishing 17th.
Things could have been a whole lot worse were it not for reliable trio Bowen, Wan-Bissaka and Tomas Soucek.
Without those three players, the Hammers would have found themselves in a whole world of trouble.
Bowen is head and shoulders West Ham’s best and most consistent player.
But Wan-Bissaka has been so good since his bargain £15m move for Man United, he was voted Hammer of the Year in his debut season.
Soucek got nine goals – and stopped plenty more at the other end with his selfless work for the team and aerial prowess.
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Claim means previously untouchable Wan-Bissaka now for sale at ‘right price’
The fact the Hammers are entertaining offers for Soucek has enraged many supporters.
West Ham would have riots on their hands if they sold Bowen.
There would also be uproar if the club considered selling Wan-Bissaka too given his stunning impact in east London.
But they will according to journalist Smith.
He says the club have told him that captain Bowen is now the only player the board would not consider selling this summer should the ‘right price’ be met.
“Jarrod Bowen the only player West Ham would not consider selling this summer for the right price…” Smith states.
“(It has) become clear that West Ham consider only Bowen, their captain, as strictly not for sale under any circumstances this summer.”
This is a complete about-turn in stance to the information previously put out by the Hammers.
Even contemplating selling Hammer of the Year is a big mistake
Of course it goes without saying that every player has his price. Even at the top clubs in Europe.
And it is all well and good West Ham saying Bowen is not for sale at any price – because if someone came forward with an extraordinary offer – for argument’s sake a fanciful £125m plus – then of course the club are going to consider it despite their bluster.
If Smith is correct, though, it now means Wan-Bissaka has a price on his head and West Ham would sell if it was met.
What that price would be is anyone’s guess.
But it is made all the more worrying by the fact a host of top level clubs, many of them playing European football, are looking for a new right-back this summer.
The change in stance may also alert those clubs to Wan-Bissaka’s availability at ‘the right price’.
West Ham fans will just have to hope the board do not receive any offers to even tempt them into what would be a terrible transfer decision.
It would be a case of the club finally having taken a step forward in the right-back position only to take two giant steps back.