David Moyes may yet have one last gift for West Ham United, in the shape of a January deal that could take James Ward-Prowse to Premier League rivals Everton.
West Ham may be forced to raise funds for new signings again in the New Year.
It was the sale of Mohammed Kudus will helped finance the arrivals of El Hadji Malick Diouf, Soungoutou Magassa and Mateus Fernandes last summer. A necessary evil, as they say.
Of course, there are plenty of sacrificial lambs the Hammers would happily deliver to slaughter these days. James Ward-Prowse chief among them, in addition to Niclas Fullkrug and probably Luis Guilherme too.
West Ham United are, though, the latest club to fall into the trap of signing ageing players on big wages. Believe it or not, finding clubs willing to take a punt on 30-somethings earning in excess of £100,000-a-week is easier said than done.
Ward-Prowse is expected to leave in January. How will he be remembered for his time at West Ham?
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James Ward-Prowse’s West Ham career in numbers.
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Fullkrug faced a series of rejections before Wolfsburg moved into pole position this week. Guilherme, should he depart, would presumably command a fee much lower than the £25 million Tim Steidten splashed out.
And as Hammers News have learned, Moyes wants Ward-Prowse on Merseyside, but Everton will only do a deal on their terms.
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David Moyes gives West Ham United hope of James Ward-Prowse exit
West Ham would obviously prefer to sell Ward-Prowse outright. Failing that, they would like to include an obligation-to-buy clause in any loan deal. But Moyes, his fingers burned by Kalvin Phillips’ disastrous spell at the London Stadium, is unlikely to go beyond an ‘option-to-buy’ arrangement.
On a more positive note, Moyes now confirms that the Toffees are in the market for reinforcements.
Everton News reporter Alan Myers believes that a central midfielder is one of the priorities as well, alongside a right-back and a striker.
James Ward-Prowse future at West Ham looks bleak under Nuno Espirito Santo
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“I’d be hoping we would be looking to do some business if we can,” Moyes says, hinting that short-term deals may be the order of the day again.
“January is never a great window when trying to get the right value and the right players who you might want, but I think if we could add to it we certainly will.
“We didn’t do it last January, we just had Charly Alcaraz come in on loan. We might be looking at the loan market again and seeing what we need.
“Certainly, the people who do the job are working behind the scenes to see what might be possible.”
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Moyes appears to want more midfield options at Everton
Moyes does not confirm or deny if a midfielder is high on his winter wishlist. Though it is interesting to note that he confirmed Everton were in the mix to sign Jacob Ramsey before his move to Newcastle – West Ham looked at the £40m ex-Aston Villa box-crasher too – while glancing over at Eddie Howe’s stacked midfield options with jade green eyes.
“[Ramsey] chose not to come,” Moyes added. “If you look at their subs [for Newcastle’s 4-1 thrashing of Everton this month] Sandro Tonali didn’t start for them. They have a really strong team and beating Manchester City gives you an idea of where they are at.”
Nuno Espirito Santo dropped James Ward-Prowse from West Ham’s squad immediately after taking over from Graham Potter in September.
The former England international struggled to nail down a place under Nuno during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest last season; a loan spell terminated months ahead of schedule. And his arrival at the London Stadium must have felt, from Ward-Prowse’s perspective, like Superman seeing Lex Luthor walk through the door of the doctor’s office to take his prostate exam with a pair of kryptonite-laced gloves.
West Ham have already held talks with the Toffees
Even Guido Rodriguez is ahead of Ward-Prowse in the pecking order these days. Add in Mohamadou Kante, a Hammers debutant against Manchester United last week, and you could argue that the ex-Southampton skipper is now Nuno’s eighth-choice midfield option.
“There have been early talks and Everton want to do the deal as a loan at first and see how it works out,” a leading West Ham transfer source told Hammers News recently. “Moyes wants a loan with option, similar to what he did with Kalvin Phillips at West Ham.
“West Ham want the money or the guarantee of money at the end of any deal and so unless Everton change their stance slightly, it actually makes Southampton favourites despite being in the Championship.
“One thing is for certain the player will be leaving in January. A reunion with Moyes does appeal to him but a return home to Southampton is also a big factor.”
ExWhuEmployee claims that Leeds and Burnley are interested too. As much as Nuno clearly does not rate Ward-Prowse, letting him join a potential relegation rival in January may be a step too far.
David Moyes talks to James Ward-Prowse during Newcastle United v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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