Three Simple Moves for a Positive West Ham Transfer Window

Apart from confirming the obligatory purchase of Tomas Soucek, West Ham have only sold this offseason, but three moves could make this a positive window for the club.

For West Ham’s board, the Coronavirus shutdown has been a crutch to lean of for not spending this summer. Outside of completing the permanent, obligatory transfer of Tomas Soucek when safety was confirmed, the Hammers have sold on three players in Ajeti, Hugill, and Roberto.

Now, with a thinner squad, David Moyes has to get his team ready for action in just a few week’s time but reinforcements should be on their way. Three moves, all transfers in/out, allow for the board to stay away from massive investment and to back their manager as he looks to press on this season.

A Simple Re-Vamp at Centre-Back

West Ham need to upgrade on their centre-back depth with Fabian Balbuena looking not up for it since the departure of Manuel Pellegrini. After his strong start to life in the Premier League, Balbuena was replaced by Angelo Ogbonna and has done nothing to put pressure on him to win that spot back.

Issa Diop and Ogbonna are both well ahead of him in David Moyes’ trust list and so too is Declan Rice who started at CB instead of Balbuena upon the Premier League restart. With Moyes not trusting him and him looking as bad as he did against Ipswich, a move needs to be made.

The obvious one would be the loan-to-buy deal for Brighton’s Shane Duffy. It appears to be a two-horse race for Duffy’s services between the Hammers and Celtic. He is Irish, however, Celtic were just bounced from the Champions League so they have lost a massive bargaining chip.

The rumour is that Duffy’s loan would require a £2m loan fee with a buy option. For a 28-year-old, experienced defender who is in the prime of his career, that is more than reasonable. A backup option would be 30-year-old Craig Dawson, but this isn’t ideal. Either way, Balbuena’s sale would pay for either player.

Make One Big Signing (that’s needed!)

Without a new left-back this season the Hammers will struggle. Aaron Cresswell doesn’t have the stamina or pace to play the part, Arthur Masuaku is better suited in a wing-back or midfield role, and while Emmanuel Longelo looks a player, at 19-years-old he’s too green to lean on right now. All signs point to Rico Henry.

Brentford’s start left-back fits every bit of West Ham’s needs at the positions. He’s young, he can balance attacking and defensive responsibilities, and he’s English, which Moyes has stated needs to be the core of West Ham’s team.

A deal is waiting to be struck and with the season approaching, West Ham need to act now. With his transfer value relatively up in the air, the aforementioned attributes could see him garner a return of £10m-£15m for Brentford. It’s a fair bit of money, but for a Premier League club it isn’t exorbitant or unreasonable. If there is one big name to sign, this is it.

Sign a Veteran Striker for Depth

With just Sebastien Haller and Michail Antonio left as viable striker options in the senior team, the club needs to invest in another striker. They’ve sold two others for bargain discounts so they need to be replaced. The free-agent market it a bit dry but a few names are available to pursue.

The top of the list is Daniel Sturridge. He has unfinished business in the Prem after his exit from Liverpool, personal struggles off the pitch which have many doubting his abilities now, and a long list of injury troubles; he’s got West Ham written all over him. In a limited Cup and bench role he could thrive in controlled situations with two legitimate starters ahead of him.

Outside of Sturridge, Enner Valencia ad Diafra Sakho are both available. Sakho seemingly burned too many bridges on his way out and Valencia seems likely to stay in South America for the remainder of his career so a reunion with either player looks doubtful.

Two names to watch for are Mario Mandzukic and Omar Niasse. Mandzukic is 34 now but has a proven record of scoring big and important goals. With the Serie A conquered, he could be a veteran voice for this team and a situational striker. Niasse, 30, used to play for Everton and still has speed and quality. He knows the league and would be fine cover should the first team need it.

Thus far, West Ham have spent £15m on Tomas Soucek which was a deal negotiated in January and should be counted as part of the January window’s dealings. This brings the total spent to -£7.5m for the sales of Hugill and Ajeti (could rise to -£10m). If Balbuena was to be sold for £5m, a £2m loss, West Ham could potentially have Duffy and Rico plus £.5m-£3m in profit from a window many supporters would be happy with.

There isn’t too much to be happy about regarding West Ham transfers right now, however sensible spending and intelligent reinforcement of an already strong team can help this squad take steps forward. We aren’t asking for a lot as supporters, just commitment to your own previously promised ambition.