The season is nearly over, and once the final ball is kicked, Mario Husillos can get to work reshaping our squad.
Funds, however, are expected to be limited, and if we cannot sell some of the high-earning fringe stars whose futures in East London appear bleak, the free agent market may be what comes to Husillos and Manuel Pellegrini’s rescue.
Luckily, there are hoards of experienced top-flight and former international stars set to leave their current sides in the summer, and fans on Twitter have been sharing whom their dream free agent signings would be.
Among the many who could be up for grabs next season are Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia from Manchester United, David Luiz, Olivier Giroud and Gary Cahill from Chelsea, and Daniel Sturridge, James Milner and Alberto Moreno from Liverpool.
From abroad, meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain’s contract rebel Adrien Rabiot is finally set to leave Les Parc des Princes, while Arjen Robben’s time at Bayern Munich is nearly over. As is Mario Balotelli’s contract at Marseille, Hatem Ben Arfa’s at Stade Rennais, and Diego Godin’s at Atletico Madrid.
Godin, however, is already destined for a move to Inter Milan having passed a medical with the Serie A side back in January. Rabiot is also thought to be a potential target of Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur, having seen FC Barcelona and Real Madrid negate their previous interest.
Herrera, too, has been rumoured to be close to securing a move for next season, with the Spaniard looking set to move to Paris to replace Rabiot in the French capital.
Their impending transfers, however, have not been enough to stop some West Ham fans from dreaming about signing them for next season…
Get Godin and Rabiot in lads @WestHamUtd https://t.co/pV4uvYDAth
— West Ham News (@whufc_news) May 2, 2019
If Herrera wasn’t going to PSG i would take him and Pereira
— ethan (@WhuEthan) May 2, 2019
@Denner7s We should be all over Giroud.
— Callum Endean-Coyle (@CoyleEndean) May 2, 2019
Welbeck I think he still has so much to offer
— Charlie Parris (@CharlieParris96) May 2, 2019
Andreas Periera definitely
— ???? (@CallumWHU__) May 2, 2019
Okazaki as a third choice striker
— Tez (@TezzyWHU) May 3, 2019
Adrian Carroll Nasri ????????
— (@PW57WHU) May 2, 2019
Herrera mata giroud Pereira……we’ll prob sign Carroll adrian diame and welbeck ????????????
— Terry (@terrypateman84) May 2, 2019
Anyone that’s injury prone and on high wages should work for us
— Renegade Master (@tzutaoism) May 2, 2019
Milner would be great but no way he’s leaving. Giroud & Pereira would be decent. Nothing else, lots of players past their best and injury prone.
— Josh (@josh_whu) May 2, 2019
A. pereira, Mata, Kompany or Welbeck would be great!
— tim (@tim_kolk10) May 2, 2019
None of them. Old and will want way to much money! We need young and hungry
— Matt (@mattbush21) May 2, 2019
I would take a gamble on sturridge or welbeck but only if wages sensible
— Lee Clifton (@LeeRiver33) May 2, 2019
Mata is class
— Billy Barnes (@BillyB86) May 2, 2019
Giroud and Mata. The latter would be our ideal link man between midfield and attack. Too costly in wages though.
— Riley Cullum (@aceofspies64) May 2, 2019
Andres Pereira in a heartbeat and Maybe David Luiz.
— IronsmanJP (@IronsManJP) May 2, 2019
Given that we may have no strikers left n the summer we don’t want to sign all unproven the the premier league strikers. Giroud on a free as cover makes sense
— AndyWHU1987 (@AndyWHU1987) May 3, 2019