West Ham’s transfer news has heated up over the last week with a concrete bid made for “next level” midfielder Andre Gomes. With an already crowded midfield, it’s probably the end of the road for two Irons’ prospects.
Josh Cullen plays a massive role in the promotion of Charlton to the Championship and the push for him to join the first team begins (us included). Likewise, Edimilson Fernandes looks like he could be a real player after stabilizing the Fiorentina midfield in Serie A, and the hype for him has picked up too!
The ever-reliable HammersPolls has also started gauging West Ham supporters’ opinions on who will push for a first team spot:
Two midfielders returning from their successful loan periods, but which one do you want the most to be in the West Ham first team?
— Hammers Polls (@HammersPolls) May 28, 2019
🗳🔁💬
Both players are enticing for different reasons. Cullen looks like Mark Noble 2.0. He’s a West Ham boy, he has succeeded out on loan, and we all remember him refusing to come off the pitch after smashing his teeth in. Fernandes, on the other hand, fills that holding midfield position beside Rice well, and didn’t look out of place in Italy’s top tier of football.
However, Rice, Noble, Lanzini, Wilshere, and Snodgrass all currently lineup ahead of these not-so-young prospects, and Conor Coventry and Joe Powell are on their heels to eclipse them at a younger age. So the question needs to be asked – is there a place for either?
To Manuel Pellegrini, who has limited funds and a need to improve his midfield, the answer is a resounding no. Pellegrini didn’t buy them, he didn’t watch them develop through the youth system, he didn’t pick either to stay with the team last season, and I don’t think he’d put up any objection to both being sold immediately. I actually think he’s pushing for the last option, too.
With Gomes rumored to cost £25-£30m, West Ham need funds fast. The budget is believed to be between £20m-£30m before player sales and the team still needs a few strikers and a center-back too. What this could mean is fringe players and prospects who haven’t hit quite yet are in line to hit the road.
West Ham flop Edimilson Fernandes heading to Germany in £8m deal | @mcgrathmike https://t.co/WN6UPHtnvk pic.twitter.com/beAuW0HPLc
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) May 28, 2019
Edimilson Fernandes looks like he’s already out the door, too. The Swiss international has been heavily linked to Mainz of the Bundesliga for a fee of £8m. If this is true, I’d snap their hands off to make this transfer happen. Fernandes, who is 23 now, proved he can be serviceable in Italy, but if his sale could help facilitate the signing of Andre Gomes, make the deal now!
Likewise, Cullen should be set for a permanent move away from the club. Loans have no more benefit for the 23-year-old, and he needs to settle into a team where he can grow and become an everyday player. Ideally, the Hammers would look for £1-2m for the player which would make the duo worth £10m combined.
With Obiang also all but gone, West Ham have anywhere between £18-20m to spend on Andre Gomes, a truly next level signing. It would be sad to see both players go, as they both looked primed to step into the West Ham team, but the road to the next level is paved with tough decisions like the sales of Cullen and Fernandes.