January 2022 Transfer Window

[Peaches]

Today Man United’s strike force was Ronaldo, Rashford Cavani and Martial. You could argue that Greenwood is a striker too. We have Antonio. Ignoring transfer fees, that is over £1M a week in salary. Antonio (who cost £7.5M as a winger) and is on £80k a week. I am not suggesting we spend Man U money, but our club is valued at 25% of Man U, how about we spend 20% of what they do. Moyes has said he’s been trying to sign a striker for 2 years without success because the right players aren’t available, and he couldn’t get the ones he wanted. We know he wanted En Nesyri and Abraham, but we weren’t prepared to pay the price and both wanted bigger clubs. Abraham and En Nestorian are very similar players both around 6’3, very quick, poachers who run the channels, play off the last shoulders and are reasonable holding up the ball… a lot of the same attributes Arnautovic had, although Arnie was more physically dominant.
We have 8 and a bit days to bring in that type of player. I still think En Nesyri is the best bet especially as Sevilla have Rafa Mir now and are looking to take Martial on loan.
The youngster Hugo Ekitike at Reims has a similar skill set so you can see why we are interested. To a lesser degree Adam Hlozek (not as quick) and Georginio Rutter (not as experienced or as polished) are also players who should fit.
Obviously Calvert-Lewin also fits but I think the Sun story is if not completely fiction, almost completely fiction.

[Chadwell Chief]

We are headed to a similar situation as the end of Payet at West Ham

A world class player looking around at the rest of the squad and not seeing any peers (maybe Zouma, Bowen)

Luckily Dec is a much better personality, but still - imagine what thoughts he must have looking around at some of his teammates - his pass completion was 97% today, rest of the team averaging 60 to 70.

[WestcliffHammer]

We are headed to a similar situation as the end of Payet at West Ham

A world class player looking around at the rest of the squad and not seeing any peers (maybe Zouma, Bowen)

Luckily Dec is a much better personality, but still - imagine what thoughts he must have looking around at some of his teammates - his pass completion was 97% today, rest of the team averaging 60 to 70.

Not only that when he see's what we need and the standard of player we need and we get the likes of Nat Phillips and Ben Brereton Diaz he'll look at this and question the ambition of the club to keep players like Rice you have to show everything is going upwards that includes scouting and training facilities

[w6hammer]

Good post as always Peaches.We are all fed up with the lack of transfer activity and I cant believe there is not a striker or centre back out there that we can afford that would not improve us.
We have known we needed new players in those 2 positions for a long time.I can only hope the wait is worth it .No more premier games until February 8th now but Moyes must make sure we end this window with a stronger squad than we started with at the beginning of the month.I expect at least 1 really good player coming in with hopefully a few going I.e Fredericks,yarmalenko masuaku.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

We are headed to a similar situation as the end of Payet at West Ham

A world class player looking around at the rest of the squad and not seeing any peers (maybe Zouma, Bowen)

Luckily Dec is a much better personality, but still - imagine what thoughts he must have looking around at some of his teammates - his pass completion was 97% today, rest of the team averaging 60 to 70.

We cannot provide Rice with quality of teammates as high as other clubs. It is impossible. Not just in terms of cash required but also that quality of player won't come to West Ham

If Rice urgently wants to upgrade then he will be gone. If he is happy to see what happens over next 18 months he might stay - but I expect he is fully aware that other clubs can provide him what West Ham cannot

[Bubbles Fortuna]

Easy just get Cabral, or David in and buy a CD with the other £30m.always assuming, of course, we have a spare £60M burning a hole on our pockets

It's not 'easy' though is it.

Cabral and David have a choice in the matter, David might have his sights set higher, would Cabral get a work permit? David's club probably wouldn't accept £30 million anyway.

We're not playing football manager, you can't just buy any player you want.

If there's any truth to Dembele being available on loan that's where I'd be looking.

[bubbles1966]

Going by Moyes' MO I'd suggest that Origi is a highly probable target, as will Toney be if he gets his numbers up. I think he's scored in the last 2.

Broja is bound to provoke interest if available.

Calvert-Lewin is almost certainly out of our reach.

My view is that the club probably need to rustle up £85m between now and the summer to purchase Areola + the 3 positions that need strengthening. Some of it should be there in increased revenue from this season, and some will probably need to be generated from sales.

Might need to be open minded about the odd sale in order to retain Rice and Bowen in particular.

[Hugh Jargon]

Calvert Lewin is bull**** of the highest order. Everton won't sell him to us but that aside I simply don't believe it.

[hammerman11]

60m no chance

[Gsbgsb]

We simply do not have the turnover to pay the sort of wages that the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd etc can. If you cannot pay the wages you will not attract the players of the calibre to keep the likes of Rice happy long term if regular success (ie winning trophies) is what motivates him which it will be.

There is no mystique in why normally, year in year, at least 5 out of the top 6 (and pretty often 6) are the Sky 6 teams. They can afford it.

[HamburgHammer]

My hope would be that this is a transitional phase of 12 months or so where Kretinsky's hands are somewhat tied until he can get the majority share from Sullivan. That's when we may see more spending, the kind of which is needed to prove the club's ambition to Rice.

I'm certain Rice's position is very much a priority concern for Kretinsky. But our ambition a this point is limited while Sullivan still has the majority.

[sendô]

The thing is, in the position we are in, if it was Arsenal or Spurs they'd drop £100m in the summer getting in another CB, another LB, a striker and perhaps a third CM. They'd also probably offset that by getting some money back for some fringe players. We wont get anything for the likes of Yarmolenko, Masuaku, Randolph, Fredericks etc, and if we do it'll be pennies.

The only way to not spend that level of money and keep moving forwards is to have quality young players you either bring through your own academy or acquire young enough that they're cheap and you bring them on yourselves.

We unfortunately at the moment are doing neither.

[EastVillageHammer]

There is no mystique in why normally, year in year, at least 5 out of the top 6 (and pretty often 6) are the Sky 6 teams. They can afford it.

Moreover they have helped to create a system which means they can afford it and therefore continue to widen the disparity between the clubs.

It absolutely baffles me that people across the football world do not talk about the structural inequality at the heart of football more often. I know it’s boring and I know it’s talking seriously about something inherently trivial, but Christ it is unfair that some clubs can spend 1500% more on wages than another team in the same league.

[Southminster Hammer]

For all the, we haven't got that kind of money, or he wouldn't join us talk, haven't we moved up a level now? And isn't it great that none of us have a clue either way? COYI

[HoustonHammer24]

Trying to avoid overreaction from last night’s defeat, but it’s tough to see us finishing in the top 6 after this last week’s set of results. Moyes and Newman need to make a decision whether we want to compete for top 4-6 or if we are happy for the season to fizzle out in the top 10.

No decent recruitment in Jan and I would consider a top 10 finish decent. Bring in 2-4 mid-high quality players this month, and we have a chance to upset the big boys.

We will see where the ambition lies by this time next week.

[ironilunga]

We are headed to a similar situation as the end of Payet at West Ham

A world class player looking around at the rest of the squad and not seeing any peers (maybe Zouma, Bowen)

Luckily Dec is a much better personality, but still - imagine what thoughts he must have looking around at some of his teammates - his pass completion was 97% today, rest of the team averaging 60 to 70.

There is a loud thudding sound reverberating around West Ham and it’s the sound of this squad having hit its ceiling.

It’s cross roads time at WHU - either invest big in players like DCL or flog a disenchanted Rice and Bowen in the summer and recede back to mid table mediocrity.

[Peaches]

4 other potential striker targets are Jonathan David, Amine Gouiri, Giamluca Scamacca, and Andrea Pinamonti. They all have some but not all of the characteristics Moyes is looking for, and are all good young strikers.
The one that really puzzles me is Hlozek. I guess the concerns are lack of top end pace and level of competition. I still think 34goals and 33 assists in 112 senior matches, only1/3 of them as an out and out striker is an outstanding return for a 19 year old. Even if he doesn’t reach the level he is hyped up for, I think he’d be at worst decent cover/competition for Antonio, and while he won’t be cheap (around £17 to £22M,) he’d be nowhere near a record signing. I understand he’s a bit of a gamble, but a low risk one with a high enough floor to not be “flop” and the potential to be an all time great signing.

[ironilunga]

Calvert Lewin is bull**** of the highest order. Everton won't sell him to us but that aside I simply don't believe it.

Weirdly I do believe it. Moyes wants improvements on what we have and DCL represents that. Moyes has also been saving up his pocket money for a striker for a couple of years.

Do I think we will pay 60mil for a player? Do you know what, I think we just might for a 24 year old England international who has massive sell on value.

DCL would be a huge statement of intent.

[funky chicken]

Can we at least have no more recommendations from Soucek please. One season wonder Coufal and Kral who Moyes wouldn’t play if his life depended on it have certainly been as bad as anything you’d expect from David Sullivan.

[Lovejoy]

Weirdly I do believe it. Moyes wants improvements on what we have and DCL represents that. Moyes has also been saving up his pocket money for a striker for a couple of years.

Do I think we will pay 60mil for a player? Do you know what, I think we just might for a 24 year old England international who has massive sell on value.

DCL would be a huge statement of intent.

Come on, no way this is anywhere near true on DCL, stinks of Sullivan putting out bull**** to his mates in the press. This just sets it up for people to say “moyes wanted DCL, so he’d rather wait another 6 months than spend on someone else”.