Planning for summer recruitment is a tricky thing to set out in March – but without knowing in which division the Hammers will be competing makes for some pretty huge challenges, not least trying to determine who’s coming and who’s leaving and prepare accordingly.
Factor in the rumoured ‘fire sale’ to balance the books and it could be a very torrid summer indeed at London Stadium.
Which is why the links with Rangers ‘budget’ (by Axel Disasi prices) defender Emmanuel Fernandez made sense. A mainstay of the SPL title contenders’ back line,. Fernandez has also popped in six goals form set pieces enhancing both his reputation and likely sale value. Rangers were according to C and Hs article three days ago, considering cashing in with West Ham apparently near the front of the queue to bring the 24 year old back to English football.
Rangers back-pedalling over selling their defender this summer
Emmanuel Fernandez poses with his rangers kit
Rangers appear to have changed their mind and now plan to keep their young defender
His modest sale price of £2.5 million when he joined Rangers from Peterborough last year is no doubt part of the reason West Ham are sniffing round: The chances of picking up a Premier League – ready defender at a ‘sensible’ price seem to be receding according to footballfancast.com, who claim:
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“Rangers intend to reject any summer approach, regardless of which club comes calling…Fernandez is contracted until 2029, giving Rangers every bit of leverage they need, and Rohl [Manager] is planning to keep him as a cornerstone of his squad going forward.
Rangers know that potentially finishing top — and therefore securing a place in Champions League qualifying — would dramatically strengthen their hand in any future negotiation.”
And let’s face it, West Ham are in no position to try and tempt a Champions League – bound defender to east London whilst the fear of relegation hangs over the club. Another one for the ‘circular file’ I suspect.