Dean Ashton has backed West Ham's controversial sale of Grady Diangana.
The winger last week joined West Bromwich Albion for a fee rising to £20million after impressing on loan at the Hawthorns last season.
Yet there was controversy over the fee for Diangana, with even Hammers captain Mark Noble speaking out against the decision. Noble tweeted he was "gutted, angry and sad" with the departure of the academy graduate who scored eight goals as the Baggies earned promotion back to the Premier League.
Speaking ahead of the return of the EFL on Quest highlights show this Saturday, former Hammer Ashton, however, feels West Ham have got a good price for a player who was not first-choice under David Moyes. That said, the Scotsman did have big plans for Diangana this season back in east London.
The Quest pundit said: "He's a promising player and he played very well for West Brom last season.
"But that's only one season, he was nowhere near as good as Pereira or Benrahma, so £18m possibly rising to £20m?
"I think that's good business for West Ham.
"It's a big fee for West Brom to play but I think Slaven Bilic knows how to get the best out of him.
"He'll want to continue in the wide areas, especially with Pereira as well, so I think that's why they've gone out and spent the money."
For Ashton, the big question is where the fee will be reinvested.
The ex-England international believes that Moyes has already identified weaknesses in the defence and was willing to let Diangana go in order to strengthen the back line.
He said: "They've already shown that they're trying to reinvest it in the defensive areas.
"I think they've looked vulnerable for a couple of seasons now at the back.
"They have their moments where they can keep clean sheets but, in general, they look too easy to score against.
"So I think David Moyes has looked and thought Diangana isn't going to start and, albeit he's an academy graduate and a good talent, but he needs players right now to make a difference.
"I think he feels he needs someone at the back to play alongside Diop to sure up that defence and give them a platform to go on and have a decent season."
