Summer Transfer Window 2025 | Official Thread

[stubbo-admin]

May as well get going with this since with Sullivan at the helm, season ticket renewals slow, and the football vacuum to commence, this will soon be all the "news" there is.

Can Potter and MacCauley pull multiple rabbits out of the hat, or will Sullivan 'try really hard' with all of them before grabbing a few aging bargains from Big Willie Salthouse?

Window this close season comes in two parts:

Part 1: 1st June to 10th June
Part 2: 16th June to 1st September

Rumoured Outs...most of the squad

Let the "Rumoured In's" commence. 

------------------------------------------------------------

Player | Position | Club | Fee (GBP)

Rumoured In

1. Daniel Cummings | ST | Celtic
2. Koni De Winter | CB | Genoa
3. Morten Frendrup | DM | Genoa
4. Richard Kone | ST | Wycombe
5. Aaron Ramsdale | GK | Southampton
6. Caiomin Kelleher | GK | Liverpool
7. James Trafford | GK | Burnley
8. Kyle Walker-Peters | FB | Free Agent
9. Taylor Harwood-Bellis | CB | Southampton
10. CJ Egan-Riley | CB | Free Agent
11. Josh Brownhill | CM | Free Agent
12. Albian Hajdari | CB | Lugano
13. Lucas Høgsberg | CB | FC Nordsjælland
14. Ardon Jashari | CM | Brugge
15. Raphael Onyedika | CM | Brugge
16. James McAtee | AM | Man City
17. Mario Struykens | AM | Anderlecht
18. Mathias Kvistgaarden | ST | Brondby
19. Clement Bischoff | LB | Brondby
20. Mika Biereth | FW | Monaco
21. Barış Alper Yılmaz | AM | Galatasaray
22. Evann Guessand | ST | Nice
23. Lucas Stassin | ST | Saint Etienne
24. Marcus Taverner | FW | Bournemouth
25. Soungoutoo Magassa | CDM | Monaco
26. Valentin Atangana | CM | Stade Reims
27. Mads Hermansen | GK | Leicester City
28. Hamza Igamane | ST | Rangers
29. Yeremay | FW | Deportivo La Coruna
30. Adama Bojang | ST | Reims
31. Rocco Reitz | MF | Borussia Moenchengladbach
32. Dominic Calvert-Lewin | ST | Free Agent
33. El Hadji Malick Diouf | LB | SK Slavia Prague
34. Oscar Mingueza | RB/MF | Celta Vigo
35. Tyler Morton | CM | Liverpool
36. Harvey Elliott | AM | Liverpool
37. Zion Suzuki | GK | Parma
38. John Victor | GK | Botofogo 
39. Jacob Ramsey | MF | Villa
40. Mateus Fernandes | CM | Southampton
41. Nga Makou | CM | Lille
42. Quinten Timber | CM
43. Hayden Hackney | CM | Boro
44. Yves Bissouma | CM | Spurs

Rumoured Out

1. Nayef Aguerd | CB | Leverkusen, Marseile
2. Maxel Cornet | FW | Genoa/Others
3. Guido Rodriguez | DM | Betis/Espanyol
4. Tomas Soucek | CM | Everton
5. Michail Antonio | ST | Free Agent
6. Mo Kudus | FW | Chelsea/Newcastle/Arsenal
7. Lucas Paqueta | AM | Man City
8. Andy Irving | CM | Celtic/Wrexham
9. Emerson | LB | Marseille

Confirmed In

1. Jean Clair Todibo | CB | Loan To Perm (32m)
2. Daniel Cummings | ST | Celtic (Free Agent...Tribunal)
3. El Hadji Malick Diouf | LWB | Slavia Prahia | 20m
4. Kyle Walker-Peters | RWB | Free Agent
5. C****m Wilson | ST | Free Agent
6. Mads Hermansen | GK | Leicester (18m)
7. Mateus Fernandes | CM | Southampton (38m + 4m)
8. Soungoutoo Magassa | CDM | Monaco (17m)
9. Igor Julio | CB | Brighton (Loan)

Confirmed Out

1. Aaron Cresswell | LB | Free Agent | 0m
2. Danny Ings | ST | Free Agent | 0m
3. Vladimir Coufal | RB | Free Agent | 0m
4. Lukusz Fabianski | GK | Free Agent | 0m
5. Kamari Swyer | AM | Free Agent | 0m
6. Kurt Zouma | CB | Free Agent | 0m
7. Carlos Soler | CM | PSG | End of Loan
8. Evan Ferguson | ST | Brighton | End of Loan
9. Brad Dolaghan | Released
10. Dondre Abraham | Released
11. Mehmet Halim | Released
12. Muhammed Judus |stroppy| sp*rs| £55m
13. Michail Antonio | Released
14. Kieran Casey | Swansea | Loan
15. Edson Alvarez | Fenerbache | Loan with Option
16. Emerson | Marseille | £1m
17. Aguerd | Marseille | £20m
18. Max Cornet | Genoa | Loan

[onsideman]

Fernendes only on the bench for Saints. On the move? (Assume it’s not fitness related)

The evil empire Wrexham just gone one up. Quite a big game for Still as his first in charge

 

 

Apparently Fernandes missed the final friendly due to illness so I think it possibly is fitness related, but fingers crossed

The keeper plus him and the Senegalese striker (who i admit I know little about) would be decent I think

[Fauxstralian]

JWP & Rodriguez are hard to shift but any small fee involved would have to be paid to them to top up the wages they would be giving up as NOONE is paying them our salary
Soucek is the only saleable asset and with the interest from Everton & Leeds I’d be looking for £15m to &20m

Id quite like a Fernandes (Southampton) or El Khannous (Leicester) but understand the former wants to go to Europe
Ramsey of Villa isn’t interested so that should have been binned ages ago. Don’t think we can afford him or Elliot anyway
More pressing is a physical worker to replace Soucek with someone with pace & energy
What happened to that Ondeyika & others we supposedly looked at ages ago?

[El Scorchio]

Yes. Not being able to offload anyone is killing us softly both in terms of squad and wage bill. I’d like to say let’s hope it’s a massive wake up call or slap to the face of Sullivan and his short sighted transfer policy but you know he’ll plough on belligerently and carry on passing the buck to anyone he can. 

very pleased with the two (assuming Hermansen is in) athat Macauley and Potter have brought in. Both young and either should be good performers for us AND have handsome resale value IF we were to sell them. 

To be fair KWP isn’t terrible value or a millstone but Wilson, fucking Sullivan classic. Only blessing is its not a three year deal. 

[the exile]

Sir Alf - I agree with almost all of that.

A major concern for me is that we've still got a lot of dead wood hanging around and the lack of outgoings is a real problem, putting the kybosh on our ability to strengthen the midfield. I suppose that it's always going to be harder to shift players off the back of a poor season when very few of them have shone.

It also looks like we may have a few players who will be content to do an Ings and sit on their fat contracts rather than agree to take a pay-cut in order to get a move. I suppose it's tempting when you know that your career is past its peak and you're not relishing the prospect of playing in the Chumpionship or Turkey. Cornet is the obvious one but it could also apply to Rodriguez and even Emerson. 

If you think that in midfield we've got Paquetà, Alvarez, Soucek, JWP, Rodriguez, Irving, Potts, Earthy, Fearon and Orford - 10 players competing for 3 places - it's just insane. The last two in the list should probably go out on loan but what about some of the others who are barely going to get a look-in? Some kind of bargain bin?

[El Scorchio]

Fernendes only on the bench for Saints. On the move? (Assume it’s not fitness related)

The evil empire Wrexham just gone one up. Quite a big game for Still as his first in charge

[Sir Alf]

[twoleftfeet]

I think I prefer reading ladyboys posts than wading through a Sir Alf post

[Sir Alf]

As always a long “war and peace” post so apologies. But I know and appreciate how tolerant and patient we all are on this site ( ag, ag ) and besides it wouldnt be Sir Alf without using 50 words when one will do,  so here goes : 

Critical 3 weeks now in the xfer window imho and even the majority of fans seem to agree?. Central midfield athleticism, “legs”, pace and ability to both turn and carry the ball forward along with speed and power to press and track back / cover when we lose possession.   

It is the overwhelming priority and always was and not addressing it adequately will undermine everything Potter is trying to do especially tactically. It has been the gaping chasm we have had since Rice left.  I think we actually need 2 players with these attributes one more defensive minded and one with the ability to break forward and allow us to beat the opposition press.  But I’m hoping either or both Alvarez and Potts can adequately fill the more defensive role.  Neither are blessed with blistering pace but can compensate with quick passing and thinking in Potts case and physical ability to protect the ball in Alvarez’s case.  We shall see because it sounds highly unlikely we will be bringing in two players. 

The harsh reality although, again just my opinion ( but not controversial I suspect? ), is that JWP, Guido, Irvine and Soucek should never be regular starters and Guido and Irvine should be moved on to get regular starts elsewhere.

Soucek is the one to keep as the plan B if we need to switch to going more direct in games and while IMO he should never start too often , he could be very effective coming on after 60 mins etc. This all hinges on the ability to contribute with goals. If they ever dry up completely he becomes largely redundant. 

I think our frustration with Potter this season is going to be with his insistence on starting JWP in most games. Well initially anyway. Hopefully it doesnt cost us too many points.  He’s too slow and lightweight for the Premier League imo. And now unable to provide much by way of goals and chances from from set pieces, like Soucek you have to question what he provides?

Anyway we also now we have to hope Sullivan continues to support Potter and does not insist on selling one of the above at unrealistic fees ( we will likely have to loan them out or get a paltry fee imo).  The noises from his media stooges seem to be sayimg that.  This also extends to Emerson and of course Cornet.    In terms of the squad size, we have let Zouma, Ings, Fab, Cresswell, Soler and Antonio go and have brought in Diouf, KWP, Wilson, Mads H along with Potts, Marshall and Earthy. So wages are not the issue its just squad places surely?.  A net increase of one. But we have 4 at least waiting to go in Irvine, Emerson, Cornet and Guido. Ideally  we would be prepared to release JWP if a bid comes in but suspect that wont happen as he has become to Potter what Soucek was to Moyes?

The real concern is us leaving it too late waiting to get the central midfielder in. We dont move that quick ( understatement) on any transfer and leaving it to the last week could be a disaster if it means we miss out. Fernandes sounds like the one we want but supposedly 10 other clubs interested and ge wants to go abroad?  Hopefully Macaulay and Potter have someone identified but dont be surprised if Sullivan and Salthouse bring in Josh Brownhill ( slow /old) 

[Mike Oxsaw]

Cheeky punt for Isak?

Of course it will never happen (him coming here), but it ticks so many of Sullivan's boxes at once I'm surprised a low-ball isn't already in.

Who's his agent?   

[eusebiovic]

Oh and enjoy a video of our new striker's first training session. Either trolling or just one for Sully's personal wank bank.  Haven't watched it but I assume he completes it without his legs falling off, if he got his head through the door of the changing rooms...

 

 

Areola is starting to look more and more like one of the Bee Gees...just after their Saturday Night Fever peak. 

From now on I shall mostly be referring to him as Robin.

[Iron Duke]

Apparently he hates it, but if they keep paying you to watch and comment on it whattaya gonna do?

[Eerie Decent]

Rob Green, who now watches and talks about football for a living?

[stubbo-admin]

95% of footballers do not think it's just a job.

It's probably more like 5% think that.

Getting payed mega money, millions of people knowing who you are, watching you every week, having your name sung by strangers, being in newspapers, on the tele, all for playing a game you love, is not 'just a job'

Most of them understand that. The ones that see it as just a job get spoken about by orher players in disbelief, but its very rare. Look up David Batty for reference.

 

I cant remember who the player was, (maybe Beniot Ekotto from spur?) Years ago in an interview he was incredibly candid and broke it all down. He was a bit extreme as he seemed to have zero interest in the game at all, but I just think how interesting can it be to play football that much for such a long time and still be enthralled by it? I think for the very top players who get sight of trophies it can be more than a job. But for the vast amount, just playing football in a top league is a trophy in itself considering how hard it is to get there. Then when you get a contract that sets you up for life but the likelihood of you winning major silverware is pretty slim, what is your motivation?

And by "a job" I mean, you can like your job, lots of us do but I aint going to do it for free. They aren't going to turn down 30 grand extra a week just to get minutes on the pitch if they can just turn up for training and earn that money. Its still a job and same rules apply like they do to the rest of us I imagine. How much can you earn in the most convenient way possible whilst you can.

Maybe they love the fame and attention it brings, I get that. But the actual game itself, I dunno. 

I do remember another pundit at one of the World Cups BBC were covering (98? can't remember) saying that Ginola when punditing did the opener, then when the game started went and stood on the roof and smoked until half time when he came back down and asked what he needed to talk about. Finished with the quote 'David Ginola- loves smoking hates football.' Was pretty funny.

Some of them love it and embrace it and fall in love with the the club(s) they play for. Hello Pablo Fornals. Some love the sport but regard the clubs they play at as just workplaces, some just view it as a profession. I think more likely there are players that just don't like watching it even though they love playing it, Each to their own and if we have players like that I couldn't give a shit as long as they give it their all on the pitch for us.

Pretty sure our own Rob Green was another. To him it was a job, but he didn't particularly like football itself. 

[Ron Eff]

After Hermansen, my guess is this window see’s Fernandes from Southampton and this Idrissa Gueye kid to finish our business. 

Fernandes looks the one to get to me. Looks to have similar attributes to Rice on the little I have seen. Quick and very game with chasing back to win the ball, but also good feet and can play and pass. Makes much more sense than Ramsay who I’ve always seen as more of a winger. 

Gueye would be quite surprising given I think they see our centre forward quota done with Wilson signing, but seems to be a lot of interest, and worth the gamble at the right price. 

[El Scorchio]

Oh and enjoy a video of our new striker's first training session. Either trolling or just one for Sully's personal wank bank.  Haven't watched it but I assume he completes it without his legs falling off, if he got his head through the door of the changing rooms...

[El Scorchio]

95% of footballers do not think it's just a job.

It's probably more like 5% think that.

Getting payed mega money, millions of people knowing who you are, watching you every week, having your name sung by strangers, being in newspapers, on the tele, all for playing a game you love, is not 'just a job'

Most of them understand that. The ones that see it as just a job get spoken about by orher players in disbelief, but its very rare. Look up David Batty for reference.

 

I cant remember who the player was, (maybe Beniot Ekotto from spur?) Years ago in an interview he was incredibly candid and broke it all down. He was a bit extreme as he seemed to have zero interest in the game at all, but I just think how interesting can it be to play football that much for such a long time and still be enthralled by it? I think for the very top players who get sight of trophies it can be more than a job. But for the vast amount, just playing football in a top league is a trophy in itself considering how hard it is to get there. Then when you get a contract that sets you up for life but the likelihood of you winning major silverware is pretty slim, what is your motivation?

And by "a job" I mean, you can like your job, lots of us do but I aint going to do it for free. They aren't going to turn down 30 grand extra a week just to get minutes on the pitch if they can just turn up for training and earn that money. Its still a job and same rules apply like they do to the rest of us I imagine. How much can you earn in the most convenient way possible whilst you can.

Maybe they love the fame and attention it brings, I get that. But the actual game itself, I dunno. 

I do remember another pundit at one of the World Cups BBC were covering (98? can't remember) saying that Ginola when punditing did the opener, then when the game started went and stood on the roof and smoked until half time when he came back down and asked what he needed to talk about. Finished with the quote 'David Ginola- loves smoking hates football.' Was pretty funny.

Some of them love it and embrace it and fall in love with the the club(s) they play for. Hello Pablo Fornals. Some love the sport but regard the clubs they play at as just workplaces, some just view it as a profession. I think more likely there are players that just don't like watching it even though they love playing it, Each to their own and if we have players like that I couldn't give a shit as long as they give it their all on the pitch for us.

[Eerie Decent]

You know how rare it is, when you can name 1 player who no one has seen for over a decade. It was made such a big thing, because it's unusual for a player to claim it's just a job.

I know a lower league ex footballer very well. Trust me, it's not just a job.

[stubbo-admin]

 

This.

It's so much easier and financially prudent to change the manager and see if you can get a tune out of a bunch of players than to expect every new manager to get their own full squad and bomb out loads of players. It never understand the mentality. You could go to any job and find a bunch of low performers but your never going to just get rid of tons of them and tell your boss, yeah, well I'm doing shit because half my staff are shit. Why expect that from football?

There's also the fact that these guys have been kicking balls around a pitch every other day since they were 7yrs old. Played thousands of matches etc. I really think 95% of footballers see it as a job and if all they have to do is come in to training 3 times a week and be available for selection to pick up 80k a week, yes please!

I dont think they are as bothered as we think they should be tbh.

To be honest though...Despite Tommy's limitations as a ball playing footballer I honestly don't think you can apply this to him. He's a good egg who has grafted and come up the hard way.

If Moyes offers what he paid for him while here then maybe as long as we have a young lad lined up with the energy and legs we need in that midfield. Only on that basis though.

Basically he’s good in either box but useless between them. He scores goals without which we’d have likely Been relegated last season. Hard to accommodate and harder to replace! 

For me he's the perfect situational player to have on the bench. Whether defending a lead, or chasing a goal late...when both teams look to bomb the box and the game gets scrappy....get Soucek in there.

[stubbo-admin]

May as well get going with this since with Sullivan at the helm, season ticket renewals slow, and the football vacuum to commence, this will soon be all the "news" there is.

Can Potter and MacCauley pull multiple rabbits out of the hat, or will Sullivan 'try really hard' with all of them before grabbing a few aging bargains from Big Willie Salthouse?

Window this close season comes in two parts:

Part 1: 1st June to 10th June
Part 2: 16th June to 1st September

Rumoured Outs...most of the squad

Let the "Rumoured In's" commence. 

------------------------------------------------------------

Player | Position | Club | Fee (GBP)

Rumoured In

1. Daniel Cummings | ST | Celtic
2. Koni De Winter | CB | Genoa
3. Morten Frendrup | DM | Genoa
4. Richard Kone | ST | Wycombe
5. Aaron Ramsdale | GK | Southampton
6. Caiomin Kelleher | GK | Liverpool
7. James Trafford | GK | Burnley
8. Kyle Walker-Peters | FB | Free Agent
9. Taylor Harwood-Bellis | CB | Southampton
10. CJ Egan-Riley | CB | Free Agent
11. Josh Brownhill | CM | Free Agent
12. Albian Hajdari | CB | Lugano
13. Lucas Høgsberg | CB | FC Nordsjælland
14. Ardon Jashari | CM | Brugge
15. Raphael Onyedika | CM | Brugge
16. James McAtee | AM | Man City
17. Mario Struykens | AM | Anderlecht
18. Mathias Kvistgaarden | ST | Brondby
19. Clement Bischoff | LB | Brondby
20. Mika Biereth | FW | Monaco
21. Barış Alper Yılmaz | AM | Galatasaray
22. Evann Guessand | ST | Nice
23. Lucas Stassin | ST | Saint Etienne
24. Marcus Taverner | FW | Bournemouth
25. Soungoutoo Magassa | CDM | Monaco
26. Valentin Atangana | CM | Stade Reims
27. Mads Hermansen | GK | Leicester City
28. Hamza Igamane | ST | Rangers
29. Yeremay | FW | Deportivo La Coruna
30. Adama Bojang | ST | Reims
31. Rocco Reitz | MF | Borussia Moenchengladbach
32. Dominic Calvert-Lewin | ST | Free Agent
33. El Hadji Malick Diouf | LB | SK Slavia Prague
34. Oscar Mingueza | RB/MF | Celta Vigo
35. Tyler Morton | CM | Liverpool
36. Harvey Elliott | AM | Liverpool
37. Zion Suzuki | GK | Parma
38. John Victor | GK | Botofogo 
39. Jacob Ramsey | MF | Villa

Rumoured Out

1. Nayef Aguerd | CB | Leverkusen, Marseile
2. Maxel Cornet | FW | Genoa/Others
3. Guido Rodriguez | DM | Betis/River Plate 
4. Tomas Soucek | CM | Everton
5. Michail Antonio | ST | Free Agent
6. Mo Kudus | FW | Chelsea/Newcastle/Arsenal
7. Lucas Paqueta | AM | Man City
8. Andy Irving | CM | Celtic
9. Emerson | LB | Italy Somewhere 

Confirmed In

1. Jean Clair Todibo | CB | Loan To Perm (32m)
2. Daniel Cummings | ST | Celtic (Free Agent...Tribunal)
3. El Hadji Malick Diouf | LWB | Slavia Prahia | 20m
4. Kyle Walker-Peters | RWB | Free Agent
5. C****m Wilson | ST | Free Agent

Confirmed Out

1. Aaron Cresswell | LB | Free Agent | 0m
2. Danny Ings | ST | Free Agent | 0m
3. Vladimir Coufal | RB | Free Agent | 0m
4. Lukusz Fabianski | GK | Free Agent | 0m
5. Kamari Swyer | AM | Free Agent | 0m
6. Kurt Zouma | CB | Free Agent | 0m
7. Carlos Soler | CM | PSG | End of Loan
8. Evan Ferguson | ST | Brighton | End of Loan
9. Brad Dolaghan | Released
10. Dondre Abraham | Released
11. Mehmet Halim | Released
12. Muhammed Judus |stroppy| sp*rs| £55m
13. Michail Antonio | Released

I'll play Barty. 

Zirkzee and Vieira id be happy with on loan. Both unlikely to get game time at their clubs, both would fill a purpose and spot in our squad as senior cover for some pretty skinny positions, both are PL familiar.

[threesixty]

95% of footballers do not think it's just a job.

It's probably more like 5% think that.

Getting payed mega money, millions of people knowing who you are, watching you every week, having your name sung by strangers, being in newspapers, on the tele, all for playing a game you love, is not 'just a job'

Most of them understand that. The ones that see it as just a job get spoken about by orher players in disbelief, but its very rare. Look up David Batty for reference.

 

 

I cant remember who the player was, (maybe Beniot Ekotto from spur?) Years ago in an interview he was incredibly candid and broke it all down. He was a bit extreme as he seemed to have zero interest in the game at all, but I just think how interesting can it be to play football that much for such a long time and still be enthralled by it? I think for the very top players who get sight of trophies it can be more than a job. But for the vast amount, just playing football in a top league is a trophy in itself considering how hard it is to get there. Then when you get a contract that sets you up for life but the likelihood of you winning major silverware is pretty slim, what is your motivation?

And by "a job" I mean, you can like your job, lots of us do but I aint going to do it for free. They aren't going to turn down 30 grand extra a week just to get minutes on the pitch if they can just turn up for training and earn that money. Its still a job and same rules apply like they do to the rest of us I imagine. How much can you earn in the most convenient way possible whilst you can.

Maybe they love the fame and attention it brings, I get that. But the actual game itself, I dunno. 

[nychammer]

Love the optimistic fans on here who think it's really easy to move on players who are: not that great, on large wages for their talent, and heading towards 30 (or even the wrong side of it).

Not many, but some people just throw away comments like "sell JWP, Rodriguez and Alvarez", as though that's an easy thing to do.

Believe me - it really isn't. Almost no other club will pay those guys the wages that they're on at West Ham. And they're on multi-year deals, with some of them closing in on their vintage football years. Like Ings (who some people thought we could easily offload), some of them will have an interest in seeing out their whopping contracts first - and then moving to wherever they want for whatever they can get. Ward-Prowse*, for example, is 31 in November and under contract until 2027. He would really need to be convinced to give up his generous contract to go and play for a lot less, possibly in a lower division, elsewhere.

Moving on those sorts of players is hard. We have to do better as a club to avoid overpaying for them in the first place. A lesson we never seem to learn.

*Ward-Prowse is not the worst player that we have in this sort of position, either. We've ended up with a lot of squad fodder on big wages.

 

This.

It's so much easier and financially prudent to change the manager and see if you can get a tune out of a bunch of players than to expect every new manager to get their own full squad and bomb out loads of players. It never understand the mentality. You could go to any job and find a bunch of low performers but your never going to just get rid of tons of them and tell your boss, yeah, well I'm doing shit because half my staff are shit. Why expect that from football?

There's also the fact that these guys have been kicking balls around a pitch every other day since they were 7yrs old. Played thousands of matches etc. I really think 95% of footballers see it as a job and if all they have to do is come in to training 3 times a week and be available for selection to pick up 80k a week, yes please!

I dont think they are as bothered as we think they should be tbh.

To be honest though...Despite Tommy's limitations as a ball playing footballer I honestly don't think you can apply this to him. He's a good egg who has grafted and come up the hard way.

If Moyes offers what he paid for him while here then maybe as long as we have a young lad lined up with the energy and legs we need in that midfield. Only on that basis though.

Basically he’s good in either box but useless between them. He scores goals without which we’d have likely Been relegated last season. Hard to accommodate and harder to replace! 

[Barty888]

If you could choose 2 players to get in on loan before the deadline from the best clubs in the premierleague and Europe who are likely to be not needed at their clubs and we could realistically sign who would you choose?

[Eerie Decent]

95% of footballers do not think it's just a job.

It's probably more like 5% think that.

Getting payed mega money, millions of people knowing who you are, watching you every week, having your name sung by strangers, being in newspapers, on the tele, all for playing a game you love, is not 'just a job'

Most of them understand that. The ones that see it as just a job get spoken about by orher players in disbelief, but its very rare. Look up David Batty for reference.

[Mad Dog]

This keeper cսnt signed yet?  Or are we gonna let him down last numute for an even better one?

[eusebiovic]

Love the optimistic fans on here who think it's really easy to move on players who are: not that great, on large wages for their talent, and heading towards 30 (or even the wrong side of it).

Not many, but some people just throw away comments like "sell JWP, Rodriguez and Alvarez", as though that's an easy thing to do.

Believe me - it really isn't. Almost no other club will pay those guys the wages that they're on at West Ham. And they're on multi-year deals, with some of them closing in on their vintage football years. Like Ings (who some people thought we could easily offload), some of them will have an interest in seeing out their whopping contracts first - and then moving to wherever they want for whatever they can get. Ward-Prowse*, for example, is 31 in November and under contract until 2027. He would really need to be convinced to give up his generous contract to go and play for a lot less, possibly in a lower division, elsewhere.

Moving on those sorts of players is hard. We have to do better as a club to avoid overpaying for them in the first place. A lesson we never seem to learn.

*Ward-Prowse is not the worst player that we have in this sort of position, either. We've ended up with a lot of squad fodder on big wages.

 

This.

It's so much easier and financially prudent to change the manager and see if you can get a tune out of a bunch of players than to expect every new manager to get their own full squad and bomb out loads of players. It never understand the mentality. You could go to any job and find a bunch of low performers but your never going to just get rid of tons of them and tell your boss, yeah, well I'm doing shit because half my staff are shit. Why expect that from football?

There's also the fact that these guys have been kicking balls around a pitch every other day since they were 7yrs old. Played thousands of matches etc. I really think 95% of footballers see it as a job and if all they have to do is come in to training 3 times a week and be available for selection to pick up 80k a week, yes please!

I dont think they are as bothered as we think they should be tbh.

To be honest though...Despite Tommy's limitations as a ball playing footballer I honestly don't think you can apply this to him. He's a good egg who has grafted and come up the hard way.

If Moyes offers what he paid for him while here then maybe as long as we have a young lad lined up with the energy and legs we need in that midfield. Only on that basis though.