The initial response when reading some of the links that appear during international break is to dismiss them and move on: However this one got me thinking. West Ham are going to be in a’fix’ come the AFCON, with both full backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji-Malick Diouf missing for six games – plus.
In addition, second choice left back Ollie Scarles has just had surgery for a broken collar bone and won’t be appearing again much before Christmas.
His out-of-position cameos for Nuno Espirito Santo were error-strewn and hardly likely to endear the youngster to the new Hammers’ boss – so could recent links with Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly be more than mere agent talk or newspaper gossip. Has Nuno Espírito Santo added a new left back to his winter shopping list?
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According to onefootball.com’s headline yesterday from the 4th official:
“West Ham United Are Keeping Tabs On The Situation Of This Young Left-Back: Will He Be An Upgrade?”
“West Ham look involved from the start as Myles Lewis-Skelly’s situation at Arsenal shifts into an uneasy phase, and the teenager suddenly finds himself under more scrutiny after Thomas Tuchel omitted him from the latest England squad.”
What the headline and the rest of the article ignores is West Ham’s financial situation.
In an ideal world I’m sure the club would love to fill up their squad places with young, England-fringe talented players – Lewis Skelly clearly ticks the right boxes.
But West Ham are already back in the dreaded ‘having to sell – to – buy‘ crisis – allegedly – and need a striker and a centre back as absolute, no-excuse-this-time- January signings.
So the ‘luxury’ of adding another full back to the trio already in the squad would see, frankly, unaffordable unless there’s going to be major shareholder funding added in the transfer window to support Nuno’s ‘wish list’ rather than ‘must have in January to stay in the Premier League‘ demands.
And having the board put their hands in their pockets seems as likely as Niclas Fullkrug playing a full season without getting injured.
So if Myles Lewis-Skelly dons a Claret and Blue shirt in January, or in the summer for that matter, I’ll eat my bobble hat.