Our period of excitement at gaining promotion back to the Premier League is quickly developing into anticipation as we edge closer and closer to our season opener with Aston Villa.
Despite being able to look forward to seeing top-flight football at Upton Park this seasons, nothing has really changed when we consider the way the club works in the transfer market.
We all knew that Big Sam had to strengthen a side that was depleted by 6 or 7 players being released almost immediately after the play-off final triumph at Wembley. We all knew that our transfer budget was going to be limited given the club’s debt, and we all knew that we’d probably be linked with every ‘star name’ on the planet.
There isn’t a transfer window that goes by that without us being linked to a Ronaldinho, or a Beckham, or a Pirlo, or a ‘rising star who will be better than Messi.’ It’s utterly frustrating but, without a doubt, it’s also typically West Ham.
The current window hasn’t been any different. Despite us doing some fairly good business up to this point, we’re found ourselves linked with some top players who we could only dream of seeing in claret & blue. We’ve also found ourselves getting excited over a supposed immenent new signing, only to find out the player either failed a medical, changed his mind or decided to sign for someone else.
- Milos Krasic was thought to be a done deal. Nothing ever happened.
- We were, apparently, favourites to sign Danny Simpson from Newcastle. Not any more, it seems.
- Luc Castaignos was reported to be having a medical. Turns out he probably didn’t.
- Sunderland’s Ahmed Elmohamady and Kieron Richardson were both on the verge of signing deals.The former is now on his way to Hull. Big Sam changed his mind about the latter.
- Palace’s Wilfred Zaha was another that was ‘all but done’. He’s now staying at Palace.
- Kenwyne Jones had apparently passed a medical. Another player to end up staying where he is.
- Grant Holt was reported to be on his way after an agreement had been reached with Norwich. He changed his mind as well and signed a new deal for the Canaries.
There are, of course, plenty more. But you can kind of get the pattern of business we’ve become accustomed to this transfer window.
However, for me, the only one so far this window that we’ve seriously missed out on Eljero Elia. He ended up at Werder Bremen, presumably because they’re a club who have more of a chance of playing in Europe in the near future and the fact they offered him more money. The winger would’ve given us a much needed option to attack through the flanks, but we just couldn’t bring him to Upton Park.
So who’s the next surprising signing on our radar? Step forward Andy Carroll. He’s apparently on his way out of Liverpool and, of course, we want him.
There’s no doubting that the big man would be a quality signing for us. We’d also be a very attractive prospect for him. His best mate, Kevin Nolan, is captain and his former Newcastle boss was Sam Allardyce. He’ll also know the likes of Carlton Cole, Mark Noble and James Tomkins through international duty.
Many people believe we have no chance of making such a signing. Liverpool signed him for £35million from Newcastle only 18 months ago. He’s an England striker and he showed signs of finding his form towards the end of last season and throughout Euro 2012.
But, if reports circulating throughout Twitter are to be believed, we could be bringing him for around £18million. That would, of course, double our current transfer record and would show the rest of the league that we mean business once more.
A signing like Carroll is just what this club needs. We need to end all this speculation and make a signing that will have everyone talking. If anything, us as fans deserve a major signing. Too many times have we been frustrated by nothing rumours and ‘oh-so-close’ deals that we are owed a quality player.
I’m hoping Carroll is on his way to Upton Park. Not just because we’ll finally be able to complete a deal right from the first rumours through to the player putting pen-to-paper, but also because he’ll be a great addition to our squad.
The prospect of he and Nolan linking up for us in the way they used to for Newcastle excites me. If we pull it off then exciting times are just around the corner for the mighty West Ham.
Irons!
