Surprisingly, this January transfer window has seen more than a ‘flurry’ – more like a snow storm – of activity at West Ham HQ as the ‘transfer department’ has leapt into life. Hammers fans were taken aback by the splashing of £45 million – plus – on Taty and Pablo early in the window.
The duo have changed how West Ham play and so far, the sides’ results.
Look a little deeper and the stark reality is that the Hammers board have sanctioned nine departures with four signings (that’s if you include Kieber Lamadrid– really only three squad additions): Which even by my maths amounts to a shrinkage of five.
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Strengthening Nuno’s hand or preparing for life in the Championship? The wage bill has been trimmed massively with some of the club’s top earners dispatched.
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The fact that West Ham are now scrabbling around in the last week of the window for a defender – one of the absolute essential upgrades for the worst defence in the Premier League – tells its own story. Clutching at straws it maybe, but a deadline busting deal for Axel Disase – who isn’t anywhere near match fit – might be as good as it gets.
However, trying not to let past disappointments totally cloud our judgement, there’s an outside chance that – much as Sullivan did in late August by splashing the cash on Mateus Fernandes – the club could surprise us all one more time in a frantic bid to escape relegation: exWHUemployee remains convinced the Hammers have a last minute deal for Taylor Harwood-Bellis on their agenda:
“The club are exploring a possible transfer deal for him but Southampton are reluctant to sell… One thing that massively works in West Ham’s favour is that his agent is Will Salthouse, who West Ham have a close relationship with.”
What with heading to Stamford bridge in hope more than expectation of grabbing a win, all in all this could be a make or break weekend: Seasoned Hammers fans will no doubt be fearing the worst on both fronts.
No points and no incomings would be very West Ham: Just sometimes, however, things turn out better that expectations. And my money is on another centre back signing. And a point. Which wouldn’t be such a bad result.
However, no new arrivals to bolster the back line and a load of excuses from the board that ‘we tried’ will be as good as raising the white flag and admitting that the club is preparing for a sixty million pound black hole that comes with relegation.