As the transfer deadline creeps ever closer, West Ham are still a signing or two away from completing their squad, with a new striker being the most obvious signing on the West Ham agenda; the question remains as to how they will be able to afford one?
With the ‘Hammers’ close to their £52 million wage cap; it was confirmed that they must sell before any new arrivals come in.
Here’s my list of players I think we can afford to lose; in order to free up some cash and ease the wage bill.
1. George McCartney
With the arrival of Ravzan Rat, it was almost inevitable that McCartney’s future would be put in doubt. Many people question his Premier League ability and although he has proved a worthy servant for us in the past; I feel now would be the perfect time for him to move on.
Danny Potts is climbing the ranks and isn’t fair from surpassing McCartney (If he hasn’t already) and Rat looks set to be our first choice, so that leaves McCartney as more of a third choice left back. Injuries have also affected George as of late and I feel anymore long term knocks will add to the difficulty of him securing a first team spot!
2. Alou Diarra
Although Alou hasn’t had a proper chance at West Ham; most of that was his own doing. Since returning, the French International has made up with Sam Allardyce and featured quite heavily in our impressive pre-season but due to our abundance of midfielders and his high wages I feel we should let him go, permanently!
If you look at our current midfield you’ll see that we are highly equip and it should be considered our strongest area of the field-and I see Diarra as more of a cover option if Diame gets injured, and with the wages his commanding we simply can’t afford to be paying big money to a player who’ll come on for the last 15-20 minutes, he won’t like it and the fans will become frustrated! I feel a move abroad would suit Diarra quite nicely…
3. Matthew Taylor
Matty T hasn’t really featured for West Ham since the arrival of Matthew Jarvis from Wolves last year. The wings are pretty much covered and like Diarra I see Taylor as a cover option at best. I admire his work rate but feel that he isn’t up to the task anymore.
With it being rumoured that a couple of Championship sides are keeping their eyes on Taylor, I see that as the perfect opportunity for the man to go and a play some first team football. Let’s not kid ourselves, Taylor hasn’t got the ability anymore to compete with players like Jarvis, Downing and Ravel.
Even in his prime he was known for the odd spectacular goal; more than anything else!
4. Stephen Henderson
Signed from cash strapped Portsmouth last season, Henderson has failed to start any Premier League games; featuring in a couple of cup games. Now with the summer arrival of Adrian to go alongside Jussi, and reserve goalkeeper Spiegel, that means we have 4 goal-keepers on the books, so I feel letting Henderson go wouldn’t do us any harm; most fans probably wouldn’t even notice.
After a loan spell to Championship side Ipswich, Henderson put in some strong performances, but since returning he has remained pretty distant from any first team activities so its surely only a matter of time before Hendo is off again?
5. Ricardo Vaz Te
This was a difficult one to put down as I still think that he could be a valuable asset to the club but with the inclusion of Stewart Downing I struggle to see where Vaz Te will fit in?
Last season he was mainly played out of place and I feel that if he was played as a left winger or upfront he’d do well, but the manager knows best! If a decent enough offer came in for Ricardo I feel it would be wise to allow him to move on, for a Championship team he’d do well.
I think chances will be limited for Ricardo this season and although I massively appreciated he contribution in our play-off winning season, you have to move on in football!
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Cheers!
About Stevo
Mark Noble is a decent enough player to be in the West Ham squad and his passion, workrate and loyalty to the club is what is needed. There isn’t enough club loyalty and passion nowdays. Noble would spend all his time and finish his career at West Ham if he could so good on the lad
no one seems to mention Mark Noble, maybe because they see him as a local boy and fan, but take sentiment out of it and you will see he has a tendency to give the ball away (a lot) and has no pace what so ever gets caught in possession and adds nothing to the mid field read the stats he is championship at best and a decent replacement would see us win more games, also he was responsible for some major errors that led to us loosing goals on more than one occasion. bye bye Noble
I agree with it send ricardo to blackpool he will do well there and help them get promoted, him and ince will team up well ty RVT COYI!
Agree with most of it.
I think Linda will stay until the January window or until the end of this season he is good back up, but with Rat, O’Brien (yes i know he’s a RB but has played at LB a fair amount for us and does a job) and the emergence of Potts he can’t be around for much longer at his age and with his injury concerns.
Diarra – I think we should keep him, good defensive cover as well as midfield we only have 3 CB’s. Although if he starts throwing his toys out of the pram again then ship him off.
Taylor – Yep has to go he is not Prem quality
Henderson – See ya! I’m sure he is just as anxious to leave as the club would be to sell him.
Vaz Te – He also is not Prem quality (but better than Taylor) although if we cannot line up a new forward before hand he might be worth keeping until the next window with only Maiga fit.
you could do a swap deal-say vaz,taylor and henderson plus a couple fo mill for rhodes?kills 2 birds with 1 stone then.
id still let diarra and collison go aswell as gmac
use there transfer fees and wages to pick up some cheaper additions like rhys williams of middlesborogh or bridcutt from brighton (both for squad depth)
we should then have our main squad and a few quid in wages left over for a loan deal or 2
Agree with all but diarra think he’s versatile and has a job in the squad.
Not sure of the rules, but if they had to an everyone agrees if they allow a player to leave of mutual consent and pay off the remainder of their wages then i wonder if this amount go against the fair play rules on wages or whether this is treated as a different cost?
Nice article totally agreed with everything you put and the players you chose. But Hazza you are clueless!!!
Nice article son
Agree 100% with the Taylor, Henderson and McCartney ones defo. I think the best thing to do with Diarra is to keep him, Vaz Te send on loan paying 100% wages maybe a big ask, so possibly sell. I’d 100% sell Collison he’s not given nothing to the side in the last few years and is definitely finished upsettingly at his young age due to injury as he looked like a prospect. If someone came in with a big offer for Tomkins I wouldn’t say no, especially with the potential of bringing in Diames friend Sane or The monster Chris Samba. good article though maybe do 10? Be abit more conterversal 😉
I think the 5 above is what all hammers are thinking. Interestingly, west ham have only named 22 players on the squad list. so if west ham get rid of the 5 above name players that leaves you with 17 players (including 2 keepers). it looks like west ham will resort to the development squad to back fill. but if west ham are close to the 52 million budget, then it amazes me how much the 22 players are earning already. where can west ham get 3 players (to add to the 22 players) and be in budget or 8 players and be in budget!!! unless the 5 players above earn too much which will pay the wages for 3-5 new players (not 7, in my opinion)}?