West Ham have yet to make a new recruit in the transfer market and frustration is growing at the club at the lack of activity as well as with the fanbase, football.london understands.
While the Hammers have a very limited budget in which to work with this summer, the club has been actively trying to purchase player to improve the defence especially, having handed manager David Moyes a budget of sorts to work with. The club is still relying on sales to bolster the coffers further.
West Ham sold academy graduate Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion for £18million earlier this summer and in the official statement after his departure, said: “The decision to sell Grady has been made reluctantly but – ultimately – in the best interests of the Club and with the aim to strengthen the squad in different areas at this time.
"The money received for Grady will be reinvested entirely in the team, in line with the manager’s targets.”
The Hammers also got Albian Ajeti, Jordan Hugill and gaffe-prone goalkeeper Roberto off the books before the Diangana sale but struggled to shift the more expensive and sellable assets in Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Jack Wilshere.
West Ham have been frustrated in their attempts to land Burnley centre back James Tarkwoski and have seen two bids rejected for the centre half. It is believed that Burnley won’t sell for less than the £50million release clause they have on Tarkowski’s head as Moyes ponders entering another bid.
But sources at the club have told football.london that with only three weeks of the transfer window remaining, there is exasperation at not only how long decisions are taken to be made but at also missing out on prime targets. The club does have money to spend after its summer sales, arguably not enough in the grand scheme of things however.
Moyes is equally frustrated at the transfer window so far. He had previously been given the unwanted nickname “Dithering Dave” as he took his time to make a decision when it came to transfers. Moyes was often spotted at stadiums across Europe during his spells at Everton and also Manchester United checking out players.
When he was first at West Ham having replaced Slaven Bilic, the Hammers boss was spotted watching Tom Cairney during Fulham’s Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Moyes was also in west London to run the rule over James Maddison when Norwich City were in the Championship and they took on the Blues in a third round FA Cup tie.
Post-lockdown, the manager was spotted at Charlton Athletic and QPR running the rule over Antonee Robinson, Cedric Kipre and Ryan Manning.
Moyes also sent Stuart Pearce to watch Leander Dendoncker, then at Anderlecht, to run the rule over him. Moyes eventually pulled the plug on a deal and the midfielder/defender joined Wolves.
Moyes is desperate to reinforce his backline that conceded 62 goals last season and conceded two in the Hammers’ Premier League season opener against Newcastle United last weekend.
A new centre half and a new left back this summer is top of the priority list this summer but time is fast running out of time to do so.
