So much has changed at London Stadium in the last week, with repercussions likely felt for years to come from the ripples that will spread out across the Premier League in this transfer market to come.
A week ago, West Ham were perceived as ‘easy pickings’: Financially drowning in debt and desperate to sell their top players to balance the books.
The club admitted as much with their ‘liquidity crisis’ projected for this summer, announcing to all and sundry that it was open season on the Hammers’ Crown Jewels of Fernandes, Summerville, Bowen and Co.
West Ham’s club statement today has altered the whole tone of the summer transfer window.
Kretinsky and Gold have served notice that there is no longer a whiff of desperation about West Hams transfer dealings
Manchester United, who were reported by goal.com as ‘preparing’ a £70 million bid’ for the Portuguese midfielder will have been served notice from the Kretinsky – Gold statement that there’s a new regime in power.
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A seriously minted, seriously ambitious regime that aims to keep its top talent and certainly not engage in bargain basement sales to balance the books.
PSG may yet enter the fray along with other European giants like Real Madrid – Unfortunately for Carrick, West Ham do not have to grab Manchester United’s first bid like a drowning man grasps a lifebelt. Of course they’d like to have the Fernandes deal done before preseason but not at any price. That ship has now sailed.
So the pressure is now firmly back on Carrick and Co at Old Trafford if they want to talk seriously about beating off the challenge from Europe’s top sides.
And I suspect £70 million, when it comes, will get a pretty curt response.