West Ham are now getting to grips with the player merry-go-round that is the summer transfer window. ‘Failing upwards’ is commonplace as teams vie to attract other teams ‘flops’ for ever increasing amounts of money in what has become one of the more puzzling features of the Premier League.
The annual festival of optimism triumphing over common sense is again in full swing as clubs pounce on other teams cast-offs to try and tease magical performances from discarded players.
A typical example of the transfer lunacy would seem to be Jason Sancho. I’m sure he’s a brilliant player really. However Manchester United decided they had no further use for their £300,000 a week winger and loaned him (with an obligation to buy) to Chelsea who seemed to feel optimistic they could get a tune out of the 25 year old.
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Such was his failure to impress that Chelsea had to pay £5 million just to buy themselves out of the obligation and offload him back to Old Trafford.
Now it appears that Manchester United are so desperate to get rid of him, according to ESPN.in, that the Red Devils are contemplating ripping up his contract and paying him millions just to end their association.
Surely after that nobody would be interested in the winger who clearly peaked about four years ago with Borussia Dortmund and has never hit the highs since?
Step forth West Ham.
“Sources have told ESPN there is tentative interest from West Ham United, but he would smash their wage structure, which leaves United facing the prospect of having to sanction another loan move while paying a portion of his salary, or come to an agreement to settle the last year of his contract.”
So, is it a bargain the Hammers crave or are they seriously interested in Sancho if he ends up with no choice but to cut his wage demands?
Either way it seems utter folly to pursue a maverick player who seems, like so many Manchester United rejects just now, to have an ego problem and an expectation of being paid very handsomely ( fifteen million a year) just to turn up.
He’d certainly have failed the Moyes MOT: Let us hope that the ‘Potter Probe‘ persuades the Hammers’ manager to slide Sancho’s file gently back into the drawer and move on. Surely two failures at huge Premier League clubs is enough of a pointer, Mr Potter?