January Transfer Window

steve

I would have loved to have got him

EXETERHAMMER

steve said:

I would have loved to have got him

He is a talent for sure, but a gamble.

A gamble at £35m was possibly worth it , but not at £80m.

jay_in_cpt

https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2025/02/01/west-ham-united-ponder-late-move-for-craig-dawson/

I promise I didn't write it....!!!!

ASLEFshrugged

Ex says

“Lopetegui was pushing for us to resign Craig Dawson at the start or the window. Whilst he is obviously someone we admire the reason he chose to leave the club before was to be closer to his family in Rochdale. So unless the circumstances had changed then it would seem strange that he would want to move back.”

https://www.thewesthamway.com/2025/02/01/held-talks-exwhuemployee-west-ham-looking-at-defensive-recruitment/

Also

We aren't looking to sign a centre back this window, Potter will stick with the defenders he has

Academy CB Kaelan Casey will not be going on loan as "he is considered an important first team squad member".

Jean-Clair Todibo could be back for the Brentford game

Looking to sign Genoa's 22yo Belgian CB/RB/DM Koni De Winter (ex-Juventus academy) in the summer

ASLEFshrugged

Ex says

Looking at two alternatives to Evan Ferguson

Celtic 18yo Daniel Cummings, contract expires in the summer

Lorient 18yo Eli Junior Kroupi although Bournemouth have already held talks, Spurs and Chelsea also interested


https://www.thewesthamway.com/2025/01/31/more-established-exwhuemployee-hammers-two-new-forward-targets/

alderz

I want to be excited by those links, but my brain isn’t wired to expect 18 year olds to do anything other than sign, play for the PL2 side, have an unsuccessful loan in League One, then go play for Leyton Orient or Colchester United on a free.

MrsGrey

The triumph of experience over hope.

ASLEFshrugged

Cummings made his Celtic first team debut on Wednesday, 79th minute substitute in the Champions League at Villa Park. Otherwise he plays for Celtic B in the Lowland League (5th tier). 20 Scottish U19 caps

Lorient got relegated last season, currently top of Ligue 2. Kroupi is their top scorer with 9 in 11(7). 5 in 12(19) last season in the top flight

I think I'll save my enthusiasm for the summer...

Pengeman

We change managers but somethings never change.

Our transfers are always protracted and last minute but other teams manage to do business comparatively quickly. We are often left with crumbs and pay over the odds for mediocre players. Isn't any groundwork done before the transfer window opens?

Fortuneseeker

We need a proper CF now, one that can play on the first XI straight away. We did have a couple of decent ones but one of our former managers choose to sell them off why, I don’t know to this day. Looks as if GP will give youth a chance so signing some youngsters is a good idea as they will get a chance sooner if they are good enough.

Fortuneseeker

* in, predictive text 😄

ASLEFshrugged

Ward-Prowse wasn’t even on the bench for Forest today

Cornet played Monday night, 55th minute sub, provided the assist for Genoa’s 2nd goal in 2-0 win over Monza

And the food in Genoa is a lot better than Southampton

ASLEFshrugged

Fortuneseeker said:

We did have a couple of decent ones but one of our former managers choose to sell them off why, I don’t know to this day.

When did we last have a decent centre forward? I’m struggling to remember

Scamacca? Haller? Seriously, who?

nychammer66

ASLEFshrugged said:

Fortuneseeker said:

We did have a couple of decent ones but one of our former managers choose to sell them off why, I don’t know to this day.

When did we last have a decent centre forward? I’m struggling to remember

Scamacca? Haller? Seriously, who?

Dean Ashton!

Slacker

ASLEFshrugged said:

Fortuneseeker said:

We did have a couple of decent ones but one of our former managers choose to sell them off why, I don’t know to this day.

When did we last have a decent centre forward? I’m struggling to remember

Scamacca? Haller? Seriously, who?

Brian Dear was quite handy on his day.

Fortuneseeker

ASLEFshrugged said:

Fortuneseeker said:

We did have a couple of decent ones but one of our former managers choose to sell them off why, I don’t know to this day.

When did we last have a decent centre forward? I’m struggling to remember

Scamacca? Haller? Seriously, who?

ASLEF, You answered your own question there. It wasn't the players it was their manager that was the problem.

chicagohammer

I think that Kitson and Hartson were probably the best January strike pairing we ever purchased, totally transformed the team

Lukerz

Looks like we may not bring anybody in, which I am actually happy with.

Bowen & Summerville back shortly. Todibo back within the next couple of weeks (hopefully). Paquetá hopefully not too badly injured with his groin (I’d not risk him against Chelsea, personally).

We spent a lot of money in the summer &, arguably with hindsight, it was either 1) not spent well or 2) not given to the right manager. We’ve seen in three out of four games that Potter can get a tune out of a very limited first 11. We could do with a striker on loan, everybody knows that, but with Bowen, Kudus, Paquetá & Ings, that will have to make do between now & the end of the season & I am sure Potter will have a variety of answer combinations to mitigate that lack of a forward.

ASLEFshrugged

Leroy Rosenior and Les Ferdinand two other mid-season centre forward transfers that made a big difference

Fortuneseeker said:

ASLEF, You answered your own question there. It wasn't the players it was their manager that was the problem.

I think we could all see that the players didn’t fit into the manager’s system but the system got us into Europe three seasons in a row and won our first trophy in 43 years

If the manager was the problem then it’s was a problem that was good for the club

IronHerb

Ferguson to travel to London for medical after agreement for loan to the end of the season - Dharmesh Sheth.

ASLEFshrugged

But to which club? Chelsea have been linked with Ferguson along with Arsenal and Spurs although Spurs are reported to have offered Chelsea £52m for Nkuku

IronHerb

West Ham

Lukerz

No buy option, straight loan

Lukerz

He is a top quality player, when I saw him play regularly for Brighton when he got into the side at 18 I thought he was almost identical to Harry Kane in the way he played. He has been injured a lot & the fact Brighton are happy to move him on is a little weird, but maybe his ‘target man’ style is not what the new manager there wants.

ASLEFshrugged

Guardian say we've agreed a loan subject to medical

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/feb/02/transfer-news-sunderland-tommy-watson-brighton-villa-palace

buffybegood

Also on the BBC bow:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0e4r2yed7no

I'd have preferred a loan with an option, on the slight off-chance he tears it up while he's with us. However, the risk of a loan with obligation, or even an outright purchase, is just too great given the injury issues he's had with his ankles. At least this way we'll have 4 months to have a look at him on an almost daily basis if we're considering making a move for him in the summer, which, given the Potter gave him his chance at Brighton, we probably are.

ASLEFshrugged

Brighton obviously don’t want to sell Ferguson, they handed him a 6-year contract in 2023 which would suggest they see him as their first choice striker of the future and would only accept serious money to let him leave

Welbeck will be 35 when his contract expires in 2026 so it seems highly likely that Ferguson could feature a lot more for Brighton next season

IronHerb

I got the impression that they wanted an outright sale or loan/obligation whereas we were after a loan/option.

Lukerz

Still after Kroupi from Lorient for £35m. Also in talks with Celtic over Cummings for £500k. This on top of the possible Ferguson loan.

alderz

I’ll tell you who I want us to sign: Liam Delap. He reminds me so much of Antonio in his bullishness and running power. When Ipswich go down I think we should do whatever it takes to get him.