As the domestic transfer window opened yesterday, Director of Football Mario Husillos can now get to work raiding English sides for players who can add depth to Manuel Pellegrini’s squad or challenge the Chilean’s regular starters.
Football.London, though, are not expecting the Hammers to look too close to home for too many of our signings this year, but given the need to meet the Premier League’s homegrown quota, could have to make a few moves.
We are set to let Andy Carroll leave East London once his contract expires next month, and Reece Oxford is on the cusp of securing a permanent switch to loan side FC Augsburg. Doubt has now risen over Aaron Cresswell’s future, as well, which would mean Pellegrini either calls up some of our homegrown Under 23s or Husillos hits the market.
If Husillos hits the market, Football.London suggest he could target the soon-to-be-former Arsenal winger Danny Welbeck, following his release by the Gunners this season, as the England attacker could fill the back-up forward slot if Lucas Perez or Javier Hernandez move on.
Huddersfield’s Aaron Mooy is another name they tip as a potential homegrown signing, despite being Australian, as the £50,000-a-week midfielder still qualifies thanks to his time in Bolton Wanderer’s academy, before joining St Mirren.
That surprising bonus of signing the £12.6million-rated 28-year-old could prove to be beneficial, as unlike an unproven youth graduate, Mooy would come with top-flight experience and was often the Terriers’ best player when fit.
It would not actually be too out of the blue for Husillos to target the 39-cap international, either, as both Football.London and ExWHUemployee, via WHUFCFZ, have stated recently that he is a player the club have their eyes on, and is someone they could look to make an early deal for now that the English window is open.
In Huddersfield’s relegation season, Mooy made 29 appearances in the Premier League – and one in the EFL Cup – but missed the festive period with a knee injury.
