One man’s trash is another man’s treasure is how the saying goes, but in the case of Tottenham, Victor Wanyama and West Ham, it couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Express report that the Hammers submitted a loan bid for the Kenyan midfielder in the final days of the English transfer window, an offer that Spurs rejected, and it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
Indeed, the use of an extra midfield enforcer could have done the squad some good, with Declan Rice still learning the tricks of the trade and Carlos Sanchez yet to fully return from a long-term injury, but Wanyama, who is valued on Transfermarkt at £18m, would have been a poor choice to add to West Ham’s ranks.
A large reason for this is simply injuries. It is no secret that West Ham, as a squad, are plagued with bruises and bumps on a seemingly seasonal basis.
Last season alone saw the likes of the aforementioned Sanchez, Andriy Yarmolenko and Jack Wilshere all miss out most of the campaign due to long-term stays on the injury table, and Wanyama has been no different for Spurs.
Though the former Southampton midfielder managed 22 appearances last season as numbers from Transfermarkt show, his injury record makes for disturbing reading.
In three years with Spurs, Wanyama has missed 47 games through injury and accumulated over 200 days away from football as numbers from Transfermarkt show, and joining a club with medical problems as deep as West Ham, it could be an unfortunate loan spell for the Kenyan.
When fully fit, Wanyama has proven to be a solid Premier League player with the qualities and traits needed to thrive in the division, but injury problems have plagued the Spurs man’s time in recent seasons, and moving to West Ham would have been a poor move for both player and club.
