We are into the final week of 2023/24 pre season build up with Saturday’s big Premier League kick off against AFC Bournemouth edging ever nearer, and fresh off the back of West Ham United’s heavy 4-0 friendly defeat to German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, manager David Moyes is still waiting for the club to sanction a much needed fresh face in the group.
Having not signed a single player so far during the summer transfer window, how much of that is down to other clubs driving a harder bargain following the £105 million sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal is open to debate, but it is being reported that there is a significant difference of opinion between our gaffer and new technical director Tim Steidten over just who our targets should be, and that disagreement will likely effect plans for upcoming Westham matches.
In the last few weeks it has been believed that Moyes wanted to bring in James Ward-Prowse from Southampton, Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay, but Steidten reportedly prefers his suggested alternatives, believing Moyes’ picks are too expensive.
Being the only side in the English top flight to yet make a signing, The Mirror have this weekend claimed that we have now taken drastic measures in an effort to get something done, and have turned to a ‘transfer marketplace’ and are now advertising for seven new signings. They further state these seven are a left back, centre back, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, striker, winger and a No 10.
These claims follow suggestions that there has now been movement on Moyes chase for the Manchester United duo, with speculation picking up that offers were now in and initial talks were at least positive, implying that a move to the London Stadium for Maguire and McTominay could well progress through ahead of this weekend’s coming game.
England international centre half Maguire’s future has long been in doubt at Old Trafford, as he has fallen out of favour under manager Erik ten Hag, and his significant lack of starting game time in the 2022/23 campaign was very notable, and he was even stripped of the captain’s armband and has since been replaced by Bruno Fernandes.
Despite costing the Red Devil’s an initial £80 million when he made the move from Leicester City back in the summer of 2019, it is believed that United would now deal at around the £35 million mark, but if reports are to be believed we have already had a £20 million offer rejected as we have one eye on his eye watering, almost £200,000 a week current wage. The 30 year old defender would undoubtedly have to take a pay cut for the deal to go through, but that will probably factor in to how high a transfer fee we would be prepared to ultimately offer.
Additional reports do again imply a deal for both players may well be close, as there are some suggestions that a long distance medical on the duo is now taking place to accelerate the deal if, and when, a final agreement is struck on the transfer fees. It is claimed United have already forwarded past medical and fitness records to us as a show of good faith.
Fans just have to cross their fingers and hope something happens sooner rather than later when it comes to strengthening ahead of the new campaign.
Image from: unsplash.com
