From the reports yesterday linking Luis Guilherme with a deal taking him away to Saudi club Al Hilal, it is evident that there is some cash incoming to West Ham’s transfer coffers in the next couple of weeks. With ‘priorities’ all over the pitch it would be easy to spend five times over as last August. A new goal keeper, two centre backs, defensive and creative midfielder and two strikers- where to start.
At the front. Unless there is an attacking threat – games will not be won. Of course, tightening up a leaky defence is crucial but as Mohammed Kudus showed yesterday, he is not an out and out striker – so without a number nine in Antonio, Fullkrug and makeshift striker Bowen’s absence- but even when Bowen returns – the Hammers need to carry a goal threat. Unlike midfield or in defence, there is no ready and waiting youngster to step up and learn his craft in the first team as Orford, Scarles and Casey can.
So when further reports link Brazilian Yuri Alberto – a striker who we have bid for before – with an attainable price of £20-£25 million, West Ham’s board need to bite the bullet and seek to get a deal done. Time for technical director Tim Steidten to power up the jet and ‘don’t come home without him’.
But make no mistake, this is not an easy deal: Perfect for Tim to show us all exactly why he’s paid the big bucks. Reports such as footballinsider247.com claim that there’s a simple target price now on the table, suggesting that “West Ham told ‘£20m’ Yuri Alberto offer could be accepted”: It isn’t so straightforward as that.
Alberto is a problem as his ownership is shared between Corintians and Zenit: The Corinthians ownership is bullish about keeping their goalscorer who won Brazil’s equivalent of the golden boot last year, scoring more that 30 goals on the way. The Hammers did enter a bid for the player in 2023 of £14 million which was refused.
Chairman of the club Augusto Melo said only last month “He will not leave, he is very happy here and will not leave. We are not going to get rid of anyone. We want to keep this squad.”
Which in transfer terms means usually means show me more money. Manchester City just paid €70 million for Omar Marmoush, who was (laughably) one of West Hams reported targets last window. Time for the end of the lowballing and time to put a decent goalscorer on the pitch at London Stadium. £20, £25 million that’s cheap in todays transfer market. No striker, no goals and ‘nul points’.
