West Ham’s new era under Nuno Espírito Santo has shown flickers of promise, even if results haven’t yet followed.
A spirited 1-1 draw with Everton was a step forward, but a 2-0 defeat to league leaders Arsenal quickly reminded the Hammers of the size of the task ahead.
Sitting 19th in the Premier League, there remains belief that Nuno can turn things around — but January will be pivotal.
Not only will the manager be looking to bring in fresh faces, but he’ll also aim to offload underperformers, reduce the wage bill and reset the squad’s balance.
One player, however, looks set to make that job much harder.
Rodriguez Refusing to Leave
Despite only taking charge of two matches, Nuno has made it abundantly clear that Guido Rodríguez is not part of his long-term plans.
The Argentine midfielder, who earns around £75,000 per week, has featured just once on the bench — and only because Tomáš Souček was suspended.
Instead, Nuno has placed his trust in youngsters Freddie Potts and Andy Irving, underlining that Rodríguez has no future in his system.
However, it appears that West Ham could struggle to shift him.
Speaking to Claret & Hugh, a Premier League agent revealed: “Rodríguez had five interested clubs in the summer but didn’t want to move.”
“One offer from Saudi would have given him an extra £30,000 per week, but he said no.”
The source went on to suggest that while West Ham want to reshape the squad, some players are unwilling to cooperate.
“They’ll have to move players on, but you can’t force someone out if he doesn’t want to go,” they said. “Their recruitment has been a real mess. They hardly ever make a profit on players.”
It’s a damning assessment of the club’s transfer planning — and a problem that could complicate Nuno’s first window in charge. With Rodríguez seemingly content to sit tight, the Hammers may once again find themselves hamstrung by expensive, unwanted contracts.
