Summer Transfer Window 2023
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Comments
Maybe they thought there wouldn't be a need for much business this summer with so many players coming in last year, but there was always going to be a massive Declan Rice hole in our midfield.
I dunno. Nothing really makes sense at the moment.
If Moyes was sacked in November, I still think we'd have probably won it, because we were one of the strongest playing squads in the competition.
The only thing is, if it was the Rice money the why didn’t we buy a Rice replacement with it? Downes was supposedly bought in earlier than we’d wanted because of the Crystal Palace interest so he wasn’t planned as a Rice replacement with the advance spending. I would’ve got it if we’d bought Onana in but we didn’t. Also, we couldn’t have known for sure that we would get that much for Rice. Maybe the hope was cover all the other positions now and get the Rice replacement with the standard transfer money next season. But that doesn’t seem too smart when he leaves the biggest hole.
1 Denial,
2 Anger,
3 Depression,
4 Acceptance
Personally I think the main issue is a kinda stand-off between Moyes and Steidten. Moyes has always been insistent that he has the final say on transfers, and yet Steidten has been brought in to shape how we go forward as a club. At most other times the potential for conflict between the two wouldn't be quite so bad, but given we've a generational "windfall" pot of money to be spent, then things have been very much brought to a head at this moment in time.
Even with only adding £50m as a transfer budget, if the likes of Scamacca, Vlasic, Antonio and Cresswell go we could be looking at a spend of close to £200m, but certainly it will likely be upwards of £150m; that's an awful lot of money that needs to be used towards reshaping one of, if not the, oldest squads in the PL.
Simply allowing Moyes carte blanche to sign PL experienced players at over-inflated prices might get us through the next season or two, but it won't address the fact that the squad will be getting even older and would, in 2 or 3 or 4 years time need a huge overhaul without the benefit of much in the way of resale value and certainly without a one-off boost that we've enjoyed this summer following Rice's departure.
The way I see it is that Moyes won't, as yet, entertain Steidten's suggestions, and Steidten won't allow Moyes to make purchases that are clearly way over-priced at this moment in time given that he has to ensure the club is looking 3, 4, 5 and more years down the line, hence the deadlock and lack of signings. I'm sure we'll see a JWP or a McTominay come in when their respective selling clubs lower their prices, but I just hope it's only one of them (and preferably not JWP or even worse, Maguire).
West Ham United have signed Ivan Toney for a club record fee, signing a four-year deal with an option for a further year. “It was easy”, the banned star said, “West Ham are massive”.
Also, for what it's worth, I'm really not a great fan of David Moyes. I don't like the style of play, I find it quite un-enjoyable to watch West Ham play under him. But it seems to me that some people want to blame him for the poor league form, blame him for transfer dealings (despite the army of senior people that also seem to be involved in this), and not give him credit for winning a competition.
Some have said that Gold's death, and the fact that his estate is in probate, has muddied the waters in that respect as his family still obviously have an input into the future of the club.
One of the (supposed) ITKs over on KUMB has said that this is Sullivan's last season in charge, but obviously worth taking that with a pinch of salt. But if it's true, and if both he and Moyes are gone by this time next year, it could explain why there seems to be such a lack of urgency (and interest?) at the top.
There's already the agreement with Kretinsky to buy both Sullivan's and Gold's shares, but that may be complicated by probate atm (although I'm sure the buyout agreement factored that possibility in, Kretinsky doesn't come across as someone who leaves things to chance).
Ooops