Summer 2023/24 Transfer Thread

[Ozza]

Brilliant mate, thanks for that

[Diogenes]

In an ideal world, or a well organised business, there would be some alternative scenarios planned. Being West Ham we’ll wait until we know for definite before starting anything, mess about delaying Rice exit, deciding on any management change, and desperately scramble to get a few players in too late for a full integrated preseason. No club gets all they want however much prep is done, but doing none seems to be our methodology, until we sort the infrastructure and strategy it’s all pot luck, and this season demonstrates how risky that can be.

To be fair, I did not mean to imply that the club would would not be 'planning' (I have no idea), only that there are so many unknowns that it makes it difficult for 'us' to concisely speculate on squad changes with so many variables (at this time).

[1895Hammer]

To be fair, I did not mean to imply that the club would would not be 'planning' (I have no idea), only that there are so many unknowns that it makes it difficult for 'us' to concisely speculate on squad changes with so many variables (at this time).

Agree Diogenes, anything from Europa League qualifiers to day one at Rotherham in August makes it very tricky. I just think history suggests we never really plan, perhaps because we have little defined strategy around team shape etc, and of course a beloved chairman always keen to dabble through his preferred agents. I dream of a day we actually fulfil something like our potential, if only we could research plan and execute like Brighton or Brentford, sadly we are double their size with half their competence.

[bubbles1966]

It's hard going trying to work which players should be kept in which scenario (PL+Europa, PL, Championship+Europa, Championship) and which ones should be kept no matter what.

[hammer1975]

It's hard going trying to work which players should be kept in which scenario (PL+Europa, PL, Championship+Europa, Championship) and which ones should be kept no matter what.

Planning for the summer has so many issues at this point Bubbs.
1 what competition(s) will we be in
2 who will be our owner(s) - if still Sullivan you can bet your house on a last minute sell and buy strategy to try and get ‘value’ but handing the manager an immediate handicap
3 who will be our manager and how will they want to play. I can hear Wilko already jumping into action to write a response saying that our recruitment strategy should be planned out, have a series of targets that fit a footballing and scouting ethos and not be manager or owner dependent but…..West Ham
4 how much we’ll get offered for the players we wish to cut our losses on (let’s be honest they won’t be going to other PL sides so we’ll have Italian, Turkish and German teams negotiating for less than half the amount we paid)
5 what characters are seen as a less than positive influence in the dressing room
6 Declan Rice

If we stay up this season I’m already preparing for much the same next year tbh. Depressing I know.

It’s why winning the ECL is far more than important to us than the ‘mickey mouse cup’ many attribute it to be - being in Europa next season enables us to attract a better manager, gives financial wriggle room and potentially means we can manage some players back to ‘better sell on value’ through a better standard of European football.

[Wilko1304]

Nightmare with relegation looming.

I suspect we would look to keep Fab, Johnson, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Downes, Ings.

Wages are a big problem, Emerson won’t get a lot of transfer attention, but is probably on big wages, as an example. Ings another, and his are much sillier.

If you can keep Lanzini, you do. I’m unsure if we’d get offers enough to make us need to part with Benrahma and Fornals. Same with Cornet.

Wouldn’t be inconceivable to play Fab; Johnson, New CB, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Downes, Lanzini; Benrahma, Fornals, Cornet; Ings.

It equally wouldn’t be much surprise if the last five weren’t there.

Unsure the Czech boys would push as hard to leave as I suspect Zouma, Paquetá, Scamacca, Rice and Bowen would, but they’re definitely of interest to clubs higher up the food chain, at least if we’re relegated, if not already.

[funky chicken]

When I think of the players that are likely to stay if we are relegated, the squad still isn’t too shabby. It’s more than capable of challenging for promotion if managed correctly and with the right additions.

Fabianski, Ogbonna, Downes, Benrahma, Cornet and Ings just off the top of my head would be some of the best players in that league for their respective position, if not the best.

The other upside is at least a couple of our u23 players could be promoted into the 1st team squad. Conor Coventry alone has already proven he can play at Championship level, so is more than capable of being at least a squad player. Should Areola leave, the younger keepers could be pushed higher up the pecking order. And the likes of Scarles, Potts and Mubama could have a few more appearances on the bench.

We need to consider some of the recent signings may have relegation release clauses. For example, did Ings agree to sign, as long as he can leave for nothing, or a ridiculously low fee, should we drop to the Championship?

I can imagine which players out of contract this coming summer will be offered an extension or not. I think Fab and Oggy will no matter what League we’ll be in. Lanzini will probably be gone. Coufal is the one I am unsure of.

We also need to consider the players who will have just a year left on their contract in the summer. If we take Rice out of the equation, as he’ll probably leave no matter what, the following are supposedly out of contract in 2024:
- Soucek
- Fornals
- Johnson
- Antonio

I imagine we’ll offer Johnson a new contract. We’ll let Antonio go, after all his comments throughout the season. Does Soucek and Fornals have an additional year or 2 attached to their contracts? If they do, I could see us triggering those extensions. If they don’t, they both could be the surprise departures for this coming summer, no matter what division we are in. I can’t imagine whichever manager is in charge, let alone the owners, wanting to lose both players for nothing, when you could easily sell for £20m+.

The two player who will especially go should Moyes stay and we’re in the top flight for another season is Kehrer and Scamacca. I can’t see us keeping them. Should another manager come in, who knows.

[El brooko79]

Wages are a big problem, Emerson won’t get a lot of transfer attention, but is probably on big wages, as an example. Ings another, and his are much sillier.

Simon Jordon was talking the other day about Sullivan having been able to get relegation clauses into most contracts.
We know it nearly sunk the Bowen deal.

Therefore we could have some breathing room with this.
At the price we payed for Emerson, I think plenty of clubs would be interested for the same cost. Looked very good since he got a run in the side.

[Dieter Eckstein]

It's hard going trying to work which players should be kept in which scenario (PL+Europa, PL, Championship+Europa, Championship) and which ones should be kept no matter what.

Agree. Only Fabanski, Downes, and possibly Ogbonna spring to mind in terms of players we'd probably retain in all of the above scenarios.

[I am Legend]

• Bring in Maresca/Amorim/Ferreira/Still/Carrick etc

• Sign Thaigo Almada

• Sorted

[bubbles1966]

Paqueta, Cresswell, Fornals, Kehrer are my four out of the door, no matter what competition we are in.

Scamacca is on probation.

[hammers92]

Paqueta, Cresswell, Fornals, Kehrer are my four out of the door, no matter what competition we are in.

Scamacca is on probation.

I think everyone aside from maybe 3 players should be up for the chop if a suitable offer is received.

There’s around 5/6 on top of that I would be disappointed to see go but would be happy to recycle the money received for more appropriate players for whoever our manager is in the summer.

[Burnley Hammer]

Nobody is immediately out the door (unless they actually demanded it).... different players suit different tactics and different ways of playing. Some of our players could look like completely different players under a new manager... for better of worse. I'd get rid of those that make it clear they don't want to be here, and then after that hang fire until the manager situation has been handled.

[Aztec Hammer]

Paqueta and Fornals going would be quite depressing.

[funky chicken]

Hasn’t Cresswell already signed a new contract? So unless he gets an offer from another club, which is unlikely, he’ll be here for another season, which is why you don’t rush into giving an ageing player a new contract too soon into the season. How we’ve handled Fab and Oggy this season is exactly how we should’ve handled Cresswell. Be patient and wait. We did the same thing with Zabaleta and had him for one season too many.

Paqueta, I can only see going if he requests it. Or if another manager comes in and decides he doesn’t fancy him. If we go down, he’ll go no matter what.

Fornals, unless he signs a new contract, he’ll have to go. He’ll be out of contract in 2024 and we shouldn’t let him go for nothing.

Kehrer, yes I can see him going if Moyes stays. I am personally happy for him to stay until at least the next winter window, to see how he’ll get on with a pre-season under his belt. He’s potentially a useful squad player to have. And it’s not like we signed him for big money anyway. He won’t be short of offers from Bundesliga and Ligue 1 clubs if we decide to then let him go.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

Paqueta and Fornals going would be quite depressing.

Extremely

[Liam]

Mason Mount rumoured to leaving chelsea for £50m. That signing could even convince Dec to sign a 1 year extension!

[YorksHammer]

Mason Mount rumoured to leaving chelsea for £50m. That signing could even convince Dec to sign a 1 year extension!

I'd rather spend 90 minutes every week slapping myself in the cock with a spatula than see Mount on the pitch in our shirt if it cost us that much.

Like Gallagher, Broja, and countless other young Chelsea players, overrated and overpriced.

[bubbles1966]

Mount would probably be a much better fit for us than almost all our AMs/CMs who are desperately unproductive.

A little bit of showboating on the halfway line is fine when results are good, but it wears pretty thin when we're losing every week.

An attack of Antonio, Bowen, Benrahma, Lanzini, Ings, Cornet will probably get 100 points in the Fizz though.

[Alan Pardew's Dad]

Like Gallagher, Broja, and countless other young Chelsea players, overrated and overpriced.

I have to agree with this. I just don’t see Mount as being good enough to command a £50m fee. He’s a decent premier league player, but he is Chelsea’s Leon Osman.