As always during transfer season, West Ham insider ExWHUEmployee will be providing all the information you need to know about the Hammers’ transfer business and other snippets on The West Ham Way. Make sure you tune into Phoenix 98.0 FM Wednesday evening for ‘The West Ham Way Radio Show’ – listen live here from 7 PM.
West Ham completed their first signing of the summer last week when they announced the arrival of Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer after the expiry of his Manchester City contract.
The veteran defender has signed a two-year deal to provide some cover at right-back which has been a problem position for the Hammers over the last few seasons but Ex confirms that this does not mean the club will be looking to offload Sam Byram.
Slaven Bilic was forced to play the likes of Michail Antonio, Havard Nordtveit and Cheikhou Kouyate at right-back this past season and would like to have a few options at the position to prevent the need to play some players out of position.
With the arrival of Zabaleta, West Ham have now seemingly ended their interest in Saint-Etienne fullback Kevin Malcuit along with any other right-backs that have been linked with the club.
West Ham will put the majority of their transfer budget into bringing in a couple of big-name forwards to bolster the attack that keeps succumbing to injury year after year.
As is well reported by now, the Hammers’ two top targets are Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi. First reported by Ex and later picked up by the mainstream media, West Ham have submitted a bid for Iheanacho.
However, a deal is not close at this stage as some outlets have claimed. Manchester City are eager to add in a buy-back clause down the line so that if Iheanacho develops into a top quality striker, they have first refusal to sign him at perhaps a below-market fee.
It’s believed that the club are open to the idea of implementing a buy-back clause into the deal, but what the figure to stand at double whatever West Ham end up initially paying for the Nigerian international.
Claims that Iheanacho returned to the UK from international duty earlier this month to finalise a move are wide of the mark. He was believed to be back in Manchester to sort out some issues with a former agent.
West Ham are willing to double his weekly wages to around £80,000-a-week and have been boosted by the fact that the player wants to stay in English football for now as he’s just two years away from being eligible to secure citizenship.
As for Batshuayi, the club are currently left in limbo as they’re unaware of Chelsea’s intentions for the Belgian. Antonio Conte is currently weighing up what to do with him having already allowed Dominic Solanke to leave and join Liverpool and Tammy Abraham set for another loan move next season.
Chelsea may still move for another big name striker to play alongside or even replace Diego Costa and if they do then Batshuayi could become expendable. The striker recently hinted that he would be willing to leave on loan but West Ham will face stiff competition for his signature.
If the Hammers are unsuccessful in their efforts to recruit either player, then Koln’s Anthony Modeste and Eupen’s Henry Onyekuru are alternative targets that have been shortlisted. In the case of Onyekuru, there is interest from the likes of Arsenal, Dortmund and Atletico Madrid so securing his signature remains a tough ask.
Jermain Defoe was a target but the club have decided to end their interest in the Sunderland striker given his age and excessive wage demands. He is poised to join Bournemouth.
The goalkeeper situation remains unchanged as Adrian enters the summer as the club’s number one and Randolph the backup. Should a club make a move for Randolph and he decides to leave, recently released Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy is a potential replacement behind Adrian.
Given the club’s interest in signing strikers, the futures of Ashley Fletcher and Toni Martinez are uncertain as the club aren’t convinced the pair are ready to play a big role in a Premier League squad. Huddersfield have outlined their intentions to sign Fletcher on loan, as have Middlesbrough, Fulham and Norwich.
Both Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll have struggled for fitness over the last few seasons and shown no sign of being reliable players for the club. West Ham are open to offers for the pair but fear that their markets may be non-existent given they’re so injury prone.
Having allowed Gokhan Tore to leave and the interest in Robert Snodgrass from Brighton, the club may enter the market for another creative midfielder/winger should the offload Snodgrass who really hasn’t impressed since his January arrival from Hull.
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