West Ham have chosen to put a host of contract renewals on hold until the New Year to prevent their players from any potential distractions from their impressive run of form.
The Hammers have made their strongest start to a Premier League campaign in five seasons, losing just one of their last seven games ahead of the visit of Aston Villa tonight.
However, five regulars among the Irons’ current first team squad will see their current deals expire in the summer. Club captain Mark Noble, current top scorer Michail Antonio, Fabian Balbuena, Robert Snodgrass and Lukasz Fabianski will all be out of contract in July.
Manager David Moyes, himself subject to discussion over a potential new contract from outside London Stadium, has played down the need for urgent decisions over his players, telling the Evening Standard: “We’ve not been bothered too much with the contracts, we’ve been trying to get the whole club moving forward.”
The 57-year-old continued: “We’ll get around the players when we think it’s the right time. So we’re focusing on the team and the games at the moment. There are several players we will need to look to probably going into the new year sometime. We try to avoid it at the moment and we’ll look at it once we get in a good strong position.”
Antonio is arguably the most crucial figure to retain beyond this current season and is one of many to have an option for his deal to be extended by the club – although a fresh deal with improved terms is likely to be on the table in the near future.
READ WEST HAM VERDICT
Whilst there is sense in not complicating what has been a successful start on the pitch with off-field contractual matters, new deals for important players are important to get right for the years ahead.
Should the Hammers’ form fall into a tailspin, some players with expiring contracts could begin to consider their future in east London, a situation which must be avoided at all costs where possible.
Noble deserves a new deal based solely on services to the club, whilst Fabianski’s absence was badly felt last year and Balbuena is much improved this season.
The biggest question mark hangs over Snodgrass – the Scottish winger has featured little this season and could be on his way out of the club.
