West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has shared a contract update out of the London Stadium.
West Ham winless in 2024 amid Moyes concerns
Before the turn of 2024, the Irons seemed in pretty great stead, having beaten the likes of Man United and title-contending Arsenal over the Christmas period.
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Feb 8, 2024
Fast-forward to now, and it appears a New Year hoodoo has struck manager David Moyes' squad. The east Londoners are yet to win a single game in all competitions since leaving 2023, and pressure is growing on West Ham's manager to turn the tide.
Moyes recently confirmed that talks are set to resume over a new deal for him to remain at the London Stadium, and he says they are "well down the line" already, yet some reports after his statement suggest otherwise.
West Ham's worst-performing players per 90 with over 10 league appearances this season
Match Rating (via WhoScored)
Danny Ings
6.16
Nayef Aguerd
6.50
Kurt Zouma
6.54
Vladimir Coufal
6.70
Michail Antonio
6.74
West Ham are said to be exploring Moyes alternatives, in case they opt against extending his stay, so these next few months could well be crucial in determining what the future holds next season.
West Ham manager David Moyes.
If Moyes wishes to remain in charge, West Ham's form will have to pick up and very quickly. There have been few standouts in terms of player form, but one man who's really turned a corner is right-back Ben Johnson.
The Englishman has thrived in a more advanced role, and West Ham are attempting to tie Johnson down with a new deal, potentially as a result. His contract expires at the end of this season, alongside youngster Divin Mubama, with Ex sharing an update on both their situations.
West Ham set to fresh Mubama and Johnson contract talks
Speaking on The West Ham Way, Ex says that West Ham are set for fresh talks on new deals for Mubama and Johnson. He adds that these next few weeks will be "very important", as the Hammers attempt to keep both at Rush Green.
“West Ham are set to re-start talks with both Johnson and Mubuma,” stated Ex.
“Johnson has shown recently how important he is to the side, and we understand the talks will resume in the next couple of weeks. Mubuma is the same, he’s a player the club want to retain, so there is hope both deals can be agreed and signed. The club will work to get these done, with the next few weeks very important."
West Ham defender Ben Johnson.
Johnson in particular is a player they should look to tie down as soon as possible, as the 23-year-old has plenty of interest in his services, recently from Leeds United. Former Moyes assistant Stuart Pearce, commenting on the defender a few seasons ago, tipped him for the very top.
"He's a wonderful professional to deal with and work with," said Pearce.
"We're very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us, especially with the connection to this club with the academy. I think he's just developing and getting better and better, and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they'll get, so I am delighted for the boy."
Coach Ravi Shastri, too, quashed reports of “divisions” in the dressing room
Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai29-Jul-20192:30
Reports of rift with Rohit ‘baffling’ and ‘ridiculous’ – Kohli
India captain Virat Kohli is “baffled” about media reports that have surfaced recently about fights or rifts between him and ODI vice-captain Rohit Sharma. Kohli also said it was “absolutely ridiculous” and “disrespectful” to bring players’ personal lives into the picture when the team’s focus has been on taking Indian cricket to the top.Rumours of a rift between Kohli and Rohit had emerged after India’s semi-final exit at the World Cup with some media reports saying there were differences between the two players about split captaincy.”In my opinion, it’s baffling, to be honest. It’s absolutely ridiculous to read such stuff that comes out there,” Kohli said in Mumbai before the team’s departure for the tour of the USA and the West Indies. “I mean I’ve been to a few public events and the public sentiment that I’ve seen – everyone comes up and says, ‘ (you guys played so well). We have so much respect for you’. And here we are feeding off lies, we are overlooking facts, we are turning a blind eye to all the good things that have happened and creating fantasies and scenarios in our head and we want to accept that this is the truth. And I’ve seen this for too long now, you know bringing personal lives into the picture, it’s disrespectful at the moment. I’ve played the game for 11 years, Rohit has played for 10 years. It’s bizarre that you people are creating this on the outside when, as I said, [so much] about the change room environment.”If the team environment was not good, we wouldn’t have played the way we have in the last two-three years. I know very well how important the dressing-room environment and the trust factor are to succeed in international cricket. If that wasn’t there, we wouldn’t have been here in world cricket. Our journey from No. 7 to 1 [in Tests] and getting this consistency in ODIs and the way we’ve been strong in T20s as well. I know environment is very important. To get from No. 7 to 1…that camaraderie wouldn’t have been there without the respect and understanding.”Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli run during their second-wicket stand•Associated PressHead coach Ravi Shastri soon interrupted and quashed any such reports of “divisions” in the dressing room, by calling it “nonsense”.”The way this team plays, no individual is bigger than the game. Not me, not him, nobody in the game,” Shastri said. “And the way they play, it’s in the interest of the team. You can’t have the kind of consistency across formats if you have, like you mentioned, rifts or divisions, or whatever. It is not possible. So when you play on the cricket field, in that dressing room, I’ve been part of it for some time, and none of that nonsense [is] there.”The various media reports that Kohli was asked about were of possible rifts between him and Rohit, and the captain was even asked about how he felt when he saw media reports of players’ wives and management companies also fighting.Kohli was also asked if the current scenario reminded him of MS Dhoni’s situation on the Australia tour of 2011-2012, when the former captain had admitted that coming face to face with team-mates Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir had become “awkward after there were media reports of divisions in the dressing room.”I’ll tell you something about myself. If I don’t like a person, I’m insecure of a person, you’ll see it on my face or in my behavior towards the person,” Kohli explained. “That’s how simple it is. I’ve always praised Rohit when I’ve had an opportunity, I believe he’s that good, I’ve had no issues. As I said, it’s baffling, to be honest. I don’t know who is benefitting from all of this. We here are living, breathing, working towards getting Indian cricket to the top and here people want to get some kind of pleasure in bringing this up. I don’t understand how that works.”I mean you work hard for seven years to bring a team from No. 7 to 1, and after four years what are we talking about. Within the team it’s for everyone to see what kind of camaraderie and friendship and it’s evident on the field. You can’t play with that kind of passion if people don’t get along with each other, it’s as simple as that. It’s baffling and it’s time we focus on taking Indian cricket forward and not on things that are not even there at the moment.”
A CBF definiu as datas, horários e locais dos jogos da segunda fase da Copa do Brasil, que começou na última sexta com a classificação do Corinthians sobre o Retrô. A tabela detalhada tem partidas entre os dias 1º e 15 de abril.
+ CONFIRA A TABELA COMPLETA DA COPA DO BRASIL
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No dia 7 de abril, o Vasco visita a Tombense em Tombos, e o Bahia encara o Manaus em Salvador. No dia 14, o Botafogo pega o ABC em Natal, e o Cruzeiro visita o América-RN na Arena das Dunas.
O regulamento da segunda fase é diferente da primeira. Também é disputada em jogo único, mas o empate leva a decisão da vaga para os pênaltis.
Confira a tabela detalhada da segunda fase da Copa do Brasil:
1º de abril
20h: Luverdense x Red Bull Bragantino (Passo das Emas/Lucas do Rio Verde)
6 de abril
19h: Coritiba x Operário-PR (Couto Pereira/Curitiba) 21h30: Fotaleza x Ypiranga-RS (Castelão/Fortaleza)
7 de abril
16h: Picos x Boavista (Helvídio Nunes/Picos) 16h: Juazeirense x Volta Redonda (Adaulto Moraes/Juazeiro) 19h: Vitória x Rio Branco-ES (Barradão/Salvador) 21h30: Bahia x Manaus (Pituaçu/Salvador) 21h30: Tombense x Vasco (Antonio de Almeida/Tombos)
8 de abril
19h: Criciúma x Ponte Preta (Heriberto Hulse/Criciúma) 21h30: Vila Nova x Juventude (Onésio Alvarenga/Goiânia)
13 de abril
16h30: Cianorte x Santa Cruz (Albino Turbay/Cianorte) 19h: Paysandu x Goianésia ou CRB (Mangueirão/Belém) 21h30: CSA x Remo (Rei Pelé/Maceió)
14 de abril
19h: América-MG x Ferroviário (Independência/Belo Horizonte) 21h30: ABC x Botafogo (Frasqueirão/Natal) 21h30: América-RN x Cruzeiro (Arena das Dunas/Natal)
15 de abril
16h30: Avaí x FC Cascavel (Ressacada/Florianópolis) 19h: 4 de Julho x Cuiabá (Lindolfo Monteiro/Teresina) 21h30: Joinville x Atlético-GO (Arena Joinville/Joinville)
Leeds haven't signed any new players so far this month, but Daniel Farke will need a full-back through the door at Elland Road by the time the transfer window shuts on 1 February. He's already lost two from his squad this month, having sent Djed Spence back to Tottenham halfway through what was supposed to be a season-long loan spell and then allowed Luke Ayling to join Middlesbrough on a temporary deal.
The Championship promotion-chasers have subsequently been assessing multiple targets, with Tottenham's Ben Davies among those admired. Elsewhere, there's interest in West Ham's Ben Johnson, and another candidate in Burnley's Connor Roberts is apparently open to joining.
Leeds now "working on" three deals at once
Speaking to GiveMeSport at the weekend, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that Leeds are actively working on a deal for Davies, but still investing time into trying to sign Johnson and Roberts. Farke feels that the Spurs man could be a "two-for-one" addition due to his versatility, but is keeping his options open by pursuing two more defenders in tandem. There could, then, be a surge of activity in West Yorkshire before the window is out.
"I think that Leeds are keeping across Ben Davies because, if Tottenham are to make some changes in their squad, he might be the one that becomes available.
"The beauty of Davies is that he can play at left-back and centre-back. Given the need to strengthen, and how little time there is left in the window, Daniel Farke would like versatile players. He feels like Davies – or equivalents to Davies – could almost be seen as a two-for-one signing. Versatile players are going to be given preference.
"Davies, Ben Johnson and Connor Roberts are the names that Leeds are working on at the moment. It really wouldn't surprise me if they are active and they get some joy over the course of the next two weeks."
Davies would be a standout coup
Of the three players mentioned, it's surely Davies who would generate the most excitement among the fanbase if he landed at Leeds before the end of the month. With nearly 300 Premier League games (293 to be precise) and 327 appearances for Spurs under his belt, this is a player with real pedigree.
And it's not like he's a fading force either. Davies has started ten of Tottenham's 21 Premier League matches so far this season, but the hope will be that he's made available for transfer following the arrival of Radu Dragusin from Genoa.
In addition to his domestic experience, Davies has played 27 games in the Champions League, including six starts on Spurs' run to the 2018/19 final, and also been capped 85 times for Wales, which ranks him inside the top 10 all time. The table below shows the advantage he over holds Johnson and Roberts when it comes to experience.
Age
30
23
28
PL apps
293
58
38
European apps
72
17
0
International caps
85
0
54
A player like this could make a huge difference in Leeds' push for promotion, with the Whites still in with a real chance of going up automatically after closing the gap on 2nd to just four points with a run of three straight wins.
Of course, even if Spurs greenlight a move, Davies would still have to be persuaded to drop a level to the second tier, but perhaps his international teammates Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Dan James can play a big part in that.
Aston Villa are enjoying a fantastic campaign and could be able to improve their prospects of a lofty finish in the Premier League table after it emerged that they are now keen on a teen sensation, according to a report.
Aston Villa looking for January reinforcements
Positivity is the main overriding feeling at Aston Villa as they continue to sustain their consistent form in the Premier League under Unai Emery, which the Spaniard will hope to continue by bringing in further reinforcements in January.
According to Football Transfers, the Villans are in the market for options on the flanks this month and they are now said to have made approaches for Galatasaray man Wilfried Zaha and Lazio's Brazilian star Felipe Anderson.
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The outlet claim that Emery is a huge admirer of Zaha and tried to bring him to the Emirates Stadium in 2018 when he was in charge of Arsenal; nevertheless, the Ivory Coast international is happy in Turkey and isn't expected to move on this month.
Roma playmaker Paulo Dybala is the talk of European football right now due to his low release clause of about €13 million (£11.2m) that is set to expire on January 15th, and reports in Italy, via Birmingham Live, indicate that the Villans have spoken to his entourage over a potential move to Villa Park.
Nevertheless, one man who won't be coming to join Aston Villa this window is Dybala's teammate Leonardo Spinazzolla, as confirmed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. Now, there is cause for excitement in the West Midlands after latest reports, which suggest that Aston Villa are keen on one of Europe's finest rising stars this month.
Aston Villa keen on Roony Bardghji
According to HITC, Aston Villa are among a clutch of sides keen on Copenhagen sensation Roony Bardghji and contact is believed to have taken place over the availability of the Sweden international. His current employers would demand at least £20 million before considering a sale, though they would prefer to keep him for the rest of the season.
Roony Bardghji key statistics – (Sofascore)
Shots per game
1.5
Chance conversion
28%
Big chances created
2
Key passes per game
1.2
Team of the week inclusions
1
Average match rating
7.21/10
The outlet claim that Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, Newcastle United, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Napoli are also showing interest in the 18-year-old, who has burst onto the scene this term and spent time in England over Christmas, where his future was discussed with intermediares.
Labelled "superb" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Kuwait City-born winger has shown a clinical edge in front of goal this term, registering 11 strikes in 30 appearances across all competitions (Bardghji statistics – Transfermarkt).
Chelsea and Manchester United have previously been linked with a swoop for the youngster, indicating that there will be a tense battle for his services over the course of the next few weeks. Aston Villa are clearly in the hunt for a winger though and could make a major statement by fending off competition to bring Bardghji to Villa Park.
The January transfer window is fast approaching and Tottenham Hotspur could look to dip into the market to bolster the depth of their defensive options.
Summer signing Micky van de Ven suffered a hamstring injury against Chelsea next month and is not due back until after the turn of the year.
Ange Postecoglou has already confirmed that the club want to sign another centre-back to add to their group and have made that search a priority.
"Important information" – Spurs enter "intense" transfer talks for defender
Pre-January negotiations are being held.
By
Emilio Galantini
Dec 16, 2023
It was recently reported by The Sun that Benfica central defender Felipe Morato, who has a £68m release clause, has emerged as a top target for the Australian head coach.
Postecoglou could now land a big upgrade on current left-sided centre-back Ben Davies by securing a deal for the Brazilian titan in January.
Ben Davies' season in numbers
The Wales international has stepped in for van de Ven and been a reliable, if not spectacular, performer at the heart of the defence alongside Emerson Royal and, since his return from suspension, Cristian Romero.
Davies has featured in 11 Premier League matches so far this season for the club and has helped his side to keep one clean sheet in that time.
Spurs defender Ben Davies.
The 30-year-old defender has made 2.1 tackles and interceptions combined and 3.1 ball recoveries per match, and has won 65% of his duels in total.
In possession, the £80k-per-week gem has averaged 6.41 progressive passes and 0.71 progressive carries per 90 in the Premier League this season, which ranks him within the top 9% and 50% respectively among his positional peers.
The statistics that show Morato would be a big upgrade on Davies
Meanwhile, Morato's impressive form for Benfica in Portugal suggests that he has the potential to come in as a big upgrade on the former Swansea ace.
The left-footed centre-back, who could complement the right-footed Romero on the left of the pairing, has featured in seven Liga Portugal matches this term and caught the eye with his performances.
He has averaged 3.2 tackles and interceptions combined and 6.1 ball recoveries per game, which shows that the talented colossus is able to win possession back for his side far more frequently than Davies has this term for Spurs.
Benfica defender Morato.
On the ball, Morato ranks within the top 12% of his positional peers among the Men's Next 14 competitions over the last 365 days for progressive passes (4.85) and the top 6% for progressive carries (1.50).
These statistics suggest that the 22-year-old titan, who was once described as a "magnificent" defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could offer more than Davies in terms of how often he carries the ball out from the back to start attacks, although the Tottenham man progresses the play through passes more.
Overall, Morato could be a big upgrade on the experienced defender due to his impressive defensive skills and ball-carrying ability, as he could cut out far more opposition attacks to help Spurs to keep more clean sheets whilst also being able to offer quality in possession.
Postecoglou must now push the club to secure a deal for his services as the young Brazilian could be an excellent signing for the short-term, as an upgrade on Davies, and the long-term, as he is eight years younger than the Welsh ace.
It would be hard to describe Manchester United's season as anything other than disappointing so far.
They have gone from a solid top-four side that won silverware to one that is nowhere near the Champions League places and looks almost guaranteed to crash out at the group stage, save a miracle on matchday six.
While it is hard to pick out a single reason why they have struggled so much in the Premier League this year, it is remarkably easy to pinpoint one of the main culprits for their horrendous European form: Andre Onana.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper joined the club in the summer off of a remarkable campaign with Serie A giants Inter Milan that saw them reach the Champions League final – a game for which Onana received plenty of plaudits.
When it was announced that the Red Devils had secured the former Ajax man's signature for £47m, there was a lot of excitement among pundits and the United fanbase; after all, he was unreal against City, so why wouldn't he be great for United?
Unfortunately, things haven't worked out that way, and after a series of calamitous performances in Europe's top competition and some questionable displays in the top flight, fans have started to wonder whether letting David De Gea leave was such a good idea after all.
However, there is another former United goalkeeper who could've been the answer fans are looking for, and he is still putting in great performances week in and week out in the Premier League: Sam Johnstone.
Sam Johnstone at Manchester United
Johnstone spent seven years as a Manchester United player, signing for the youth side in 2011 and then leaving on a permanent deal in 2018 to join Midlands outfit West Bromwich Albion.
In the seven seasons he spent under contract with the Red Devils, he didn't make a single competitive appearance; instead, he was sent out on loan ten times to seven different clubs.
Johnstone's first few spells away from Old Trafford were underwhelming at best, as he wouldn't make over 15 appearances in a season until his fifth loan when he joined Doncaster Rovers for the second half of the 2013/14 season and the first half of the 2014/15 season.
In all, he would play for Rovers 32 times across those two seasons, in which he conceded 38 goals but managed to keep nine clean sheets in the process, which was quite impressive for a relatively young goalkeeper.
Following the expiration of his loan agreement in January 2015, Johnstone joined League One side Preston North End and would make 29 appearances across the second half of the season and a short 28-day spell in January 2016.
Andre Onana drew attention away from how poor 6/10 Man Utd man was v Gala
This 6/10 man let Manchester United down alongside Andre Onana in the side’s 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.
By
Adam Scully
Nov 30, 2023
His most impressive performance to date came for Preston, when he started in the club's play-off final, keeping a clean sheet in their 4-0 win over Swindon Town and helping them reach England's second tier.
Another impressive loan spell followed this time with Aston Villa, where he held down the number one spot for the second half of the 2016/17 season and the entirety of the 2017/18 season, making 70 appearances for the Claret and Blue in all competitions.
Finally, after spending seven years out on loan, Johnstone left United on a permanent deal when West Brom paid £5m for his services in July 2018. Over the next four years, the Preston-born shot-stopper would make 167 appearances for the Baggies in all competitions, earn promotion to the Premier League, and even make his England debut against Romania – he kept a clean sheet, too.
It was during his time at The Hawthorns that former manager Sam Allardyce described the keeper as "one of the best" and as "right up there, at the right level", which is high praise indeed from someone as experienced and shall we say, grumpy, as Allardyce.
However, West Brom would ultimately go back down to the Championship, and when his contract ran out, the former United man opted to join Crystal Palace to act as back-up for Vincente Guaita.
The Spanish keeper eventually lost his place to the new signing, and by the start of this season, Johnstone was firmly established as Palace's number one.
Sam Johnstone this season
The "unbeatable" Eagles number one, as described by BBC pundit Garth Crooks, has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season this year. He has started all 14 of Palace's Premier League games so far and has made two appearances in the EFL Cup to boot.
So impressed have the South London club been with his exploits between the sticks that they offered him a new deal that will see him remain at Selhurst Park until 2027, something he is clearly grateful for, telling supporters: "I feel at home here, and I love playing for this club and in front of our fans."
It is easy to see why they offered him the deal, as not only was he the first keeper to reach five clean sheets in the league, but he was also the second-best number one by save percentage mid-way through October.
His numbers have dipped somewhat in recent weeks, but that is also down to the team's overall performances starting to slip, as there is only so much he can do if the players in front of him cannot maintain their defensive solidity.
How Sam Johnstone compares to Andre Onana
Now, while the Palace number one has certainly proved his worth in the Premier League, he still probably wouldn't start week in and week out ahead of Onana, as the Cameroon international is, overall, the better keeper.
Andre Onana
However, were United to have kept the 30-year-old on their books, they would have the option of starting him ahead of the former Ajax man in light of his recent high profile – and very costly blunders – without losing an awful lot when it came to the basics of good goalkeeping.
Andre Onana vs Sam Johnstone
Stat
Onana
Johnstone
Clean Sheets
5
5
Clean Sheet Percentage
35.7%
35.7%
Save Percentage
78.6%
66.0%
Pass completion
74.8%
63.6%
Crosses Stopped
4.7%
8.2%
Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Premier League Season
There is a drop-off in certain areas between the two, such as in save percentage and pass completion, but they both have five clean sheets, and Johnstone actually stops almost twice as many crosses as the United man, which could signal a level of surety and confidence that Onana certainly seems to be missing – regardless of how many post-match interviews he takes.
Were Ten Hag able to call upon a reliable keeper such as Johnstone, it would likely do the entire team a bit of good, as following the disaster class against Galatasaray, former United legend Paul Scholes revealed how the team will be feeling about their number one: "He makes people nervous, he makes the defence nervous, he makes the whole team nervous. He makes simple saves look really, really difficult."
Ultimately, we will never really know, but had the Red Devils kept hold of their former youngster, Onana might just be having an easier first season at Old Trafford.
Manchester City have deployed chiefs to assess the performances of a new teenage talent, but they reportedly aren’t the only club who are looking to bring him to the Premier League.
Man City's season so far
Pep Guardiola’s side have made a remarkable start to the new campaign having won nine, drawn one and lost just two of their opening 12 games meaning that they currently find themselves at the top of the table heading into the international break.
Burnley (3-0)
Chelsea (4-4)
Wolves (2-1)
Newcastle (1-0)
Arsenal (1-0)
Sheffield United (2-1)
Fulham (5-1)
West Ham (3-1)
Nottingham Forest (2-0)
Brighton (2-1)
Manchester United (3-0)
Bournemouth (6-1)
The Sky Blues will be extremely confident that they are able to achieve big things this term given their positive form and results, but that hasn’t stopped chiefs from assessing their options in the market to see who they could bolster their ranks with in January.
Those at the Etihad Stadium have highlighted St. Patrick's Athletic central midfielder Adam Murphy as a possible candidate, with the 18-year-old having made a total of 40 senior appearances since being promoted to their first-team (Transfermarkt – Murphy statistics).
The Ireland youth international’s deal is set to expire at the end of this month, as per the above outlet, so he is able to sign a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors at the start of next year, and it’s believed that it would take a fee of only £200k in order to secure his services.
Man City scout Adam Murphy
According to TEAMtalk, Man City deployed scouts to watch Murphy live in action last weekend, but they are far from alone in their pursuit of the up-and-coming prospect at St. Patrick's Athletic.
“Manchester City and Crystal Palace are among the clubs who have been scouting Irish youngster Adam Murphy who has enjoyed a breakthrough season at St. Patricks.
"One young player has attracted a lot of interest and was watched by a number of clubs at the weekend including Man City. Sources say at least 10 clubs had a representative in attendance.
"Man City have been confirmed to TEAMtalk as one of those clubs and are looking to add more Irish talent into their ranks. They have watched the 18-year-old on several occasions this season and are understood to be keen on his signature.”
Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.
Murphy could be one for the future
Despite being 18, Murphy has already posted seven contributions (four assists and three goals) in 40 senior outings for St. Patrick's Athletic, so having shown glimpses of his potential, he could be a promising signing for the long-term future of Man City.
The Dublin native is also a versatile operator having been utilised in five different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including four roles in the centre of the park and even as a striker, so he really is an “interesting” player for any manager to have available, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Additionally, Murphy has had a small taste of success having been crowned Irish Cup Winner for 2022/23, so the fact that he will possess the same winning mentality as the current squad under Guardiola, a move could be a shrewd one in years to come.
It’s fair to say David Moyes divides opinion in East London. Some West Ham fans love him for leading them to their first European trophy in decades after winning the Europa Conference League in 2022/23, and some just don’t rate him.
Regardless, he has done a good job of steadying the ship at a time when the club looked destined for the drop, and the 2023 summer transfer window looks like it has been a massive success. Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus are two great deals, with the latter certainly starting to settle at the London Stadium.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Moyes and West Ham in the transfer window, however. Football FanCast takes a look at the Scottish manager’s ten worst West Ham signings.
10 Patrice Evra (Free)
Free transfer, 2018
Veteran leftback Patrice Evra was signed in the summer of 2018 to bring his invaluable experience to the club. His time at Manchester United had proven he was one of the best in his position in the world, but he was known to be a little unpredictable.
By the time he joined West Ham, he had stopped caring. He may constantly be telling people how much he “loves this game”, but it’s clear he didn’t care for the club. Evra would make just five appearances for the Hammers.
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His contract expired the next summer and he left. After no satisfactory offers for his services were received, he decided to retire from football.
9 Joao Mario
Loan from Inter, 2018
It may have only been a loan, but Moyes’ signing of Joao Mario was hailed by many as a real coup. He was impressive during his time at Sporting CP and had secured a move to Inter.
Unfortunately for him, opportunities in Italy dried up and it was decided he had to go out on loan. West Ham were amongst a number of clubs looking to secure his signature, and in January 2018, he put pen to paper.
He made his debut just two days later, coming on as a substitute against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup – a game West Ham would lose 2-0. After that, he never really made a mark. He did score in a 3-0 win against Southampton, but he returned to Inter the following summer after an underwhelming spell. He has since become a massive player for Benfica.
8 Alex Kral
Loan from Spartak Moscow, 2021
Following the huge success of the signing of Tomas Soucek, Moyes once again fancied a look at the Czechia national squad. This time he came across central midfielder Alex Kral, who had just signed for Russian side Spartak Moscow.
He wasn’t a goalscorer; in fact, he’s only scored a single league goal throughout his entire career, but he was a runner. West Ham signed him on loan with the option to make it permanent.
Kral would go on to make six appearances for the club before the loan ended. He’s still technically contracted to Spartak Moscow but has been on loan in Germany since his West Ham move, firstly with Schalke, and now with Union Berlin.
7 Jordan Hugill
£10m from Preston North End, 2018
West Ham have had some awful luck with strikers. In recent years they’ve had to deal with Simone Zaza, Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate, just to name a few. Jordan Hugill has to be counted among them.
The Hammers paid £10m for his services, potentially predicting that they were going to go down and would need a solid Championship striker, which Hugill was at Preston North End. It was a move that infuriated fans, just when they needed someone to lead the line.
It’s not his fault he’s on this list, though. Hugill was given just 22 minutes throughout the entire second half of the 2017/18 season to prove to the fans that he was the man to lead them – an almost impossible task.
After numerous Championship loans, he’s now found a home at Rotherham United.
6 Nikola Vlasic
£34.5m from CSKA Moscow, 2021
Nikola Vlasic for West Ham.
This transfer just goes to show that one good international tournament does not a good player make. Vlasic impressed for Croatia at Euro 2020 and had a number of teams after him. West Ham finally got him for an undisclosed fee, thought to be around £34.5m once add-ons had been factored in.
Throughout his career, he had played regular football, and although he did have the opportunity to prove himself, he was never consistently in the first team. His first goal contribution came in the form of an assist in the Europa League, and his first goal came in the Premier League in a 4-1 win against Watford.
Vlasic was then sent out on loan to Torino, a move that the Italian club would make permanent in August 2023 for an undisclosed fee. Perhaps West Ham didn’t want the world to know how much money they lost on him.
5 Gianluca Scamacca
£35.5m from Sassuolo, 2022
West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca.
Young Italian forward Gianluca Scamacca came to West Ham with a big reputation. He was, and still is, one of Italy’s best young forwards. Since bursting onto the scene at Sassuolo, the hype began to generate, he just wouldn't live up to it at West Ham.
Injuries were the main reason he didn’t make it in east London, despite looking like someone who would love it there. He only scored eight goals in 27 appearances for the club, with a lot of them being as a substitute.
Both parties decided to call it quits after a single season. He’s now back in Italy with Atalanta and has gotten off to a fine start. Perhaps, like Sebastian Haller, he’ll be one that got away for West Ham.
4 Danny Ings
£15m from Aston Villa, 2023
West Ham striker Danny Ings.
Consistently scoring goals in the Premier League is a very hard thing to do, and Danny Ings deserves a lot of credit for doing just that, but at West Ham, it’s been disappointing. The form he found at Burnley and Southampton seems to have escaped him.
West Ham bought him for an initial £12m, which rose to £15m after avoiding relegation in the 2022/23 season. Ings played his part – he scored twice against Nottingham Forest to help secure top-flight football.
Without going as far as saying that Danny Ings has been a flop, he certainly has the ability to turn it around, he’s just unlikely to be given that chance. He’s still at West Ham, but they’re reportedly looking to move him on.
3 Flynn Downes
£12m from Swansea City, 2022
It's pretty heartbreaking to be putting Flynn Downes on this list. The midfielder is a massive West Ham fan, he’s living the dream he had as a young lad in playing for the club. Sadly, he hasn’t had much of a chance to represent them.
Downes made a name for himself with Swansea City in the Championship, and West Ham came knocking. A reported £12m fee was agreed, and he put pen to paper, just as any fan would.
He made 21 league appearances for the club he loves, and helped them to their first trophy in 43 years. If you’d have told him he’d do that at the start of his career, he’d have surely snapped your hands off.
He’s currently on loan at Southampton, and will no doubt be hoping he’s given another opportunity soon enough.
2 Maxwel Cornet
£17.5m from Burnley, 2022
West Ham United forward Maxwel Cornet.
Players need time, and Maxwel Cornet will surely get that, but his West Ham career has been underwhelming thus far. He signed in the summer of 2022 from Burnley for a fee thought to be around £17.5m, and has since failed to impress.
He’s the type of player that is always going to have moments. A piece of skill here, beating a player there – he just needs to do it more often. To be fair to Cornet, Moyes isn’t exactly known for letting his attacking players express themselves.
Cornet is perhaps best known for his controversial disallowed goal against Chelsea last season. VAR deemed Tomas Soucek’s very slight touch on Mendy to be a foul, and denied him what would have been his first and only league goal for West Ham.
1 Thilo Kehrer
£10.1m from Paris Saint-Germain, 2022
Thilo Kehrer
There is a bit of a running theme here; most of the players on this list just haven’t been given much of a shot. Moyes is an old-school manager, he knows his best XI and he sticks to it. It’s an important thing to do when you’re fighting at the bottom of the table more often than not. Kehrer is another player that’s happened to.
When the German centre-back made a big money move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, it was for a fee of around £32m. After four years at the club, West Ham signed him for £10.1m.
He was meant to be their centre-back for the future, and since he remains at the club, he still could be. He’s just fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd.
Kehrer is now 27 years old, so he’s entering his prime as a defender. At some point, he’s going to want to be playing more regular football, whether that’s with West Ham or not.
The Premier League is harsh, most of Moyes’ signings at West Ham have actually proven to be very good deals – Jarrod Bowen and Jesse Lingard, for example.
Moyes knows the club inside-out, but the grass isn’t always greener.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are ready to make moves in the January transfer window, as Gary O’Neil seeks further reinforcements to bolster the depth of his squad at Molineux.
The Englishman took charge just four days prior to the Midlands club’s 2023/24 Premier League opener, having minimal time to sculpt his side to his liking after a damning summer of financial constraints.
Now, the former Bournemouth boss will have the chance to target some new faces, with one name said to be on Wolves’ radar being an admired figure during the summer.
Wolves transfer targets – Boulaye Dia
As relayed by Sport Witness this week, Wolves could have another shot at signing Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia in January, after failing to secure a deal for the 27-year-old in the latter stages of the summer.
After a successful loan spell at the Italian club, the Senegalese dynamo signed permanently in July, however, his security at his new home is not guaranteed, with a release clause in place in his contract.
According to Sport Witness, Dia remains on Wolves’ radar, and with his release clause sitting around just €22m (£19m), he poses as an affordable asset to the Premier League side, in what could be a power move for O’Neil’s front line.
If the fee of his release clause is honoured by the Old Gold, the former Villarreal forward will be granted permission to leave Italy, with the target man boasting a host of qualities that would benefit those at Molineux.
How Boulaye Dia could fit in at Wolves
Once lauded as “incredible” by journalist Josh Bunting, Dia showcased his clinical streak in Serie A last season, ending the campaign as the third-highest scorer in the league behind Victor Osimhen and Lautaro Martinez.
Last term, Wolves ended the campaign in less impressive scoring form as their reported target, netting just 31 goals in 38 games to be crowned the lowest-scorers in the 2022/23 Premier League.
Thankfully, O’Neil has got his side firing again, although the front line remains short of a clinical number nine, with Matheus Cunha still far from being a decorated goalscorer at Molineux.
Since his arrival in England, initially on loan in January, the Brazilian has only scored four goals in 33 appearances when leading the line for the Old Gold, although his claim to the favoured XI spans beyond his ability to put the ball in the net.
Level with Eberechi Eze and Jeremy Doku, no player has completed more take-ons in the Premier League this season than Cunha, whose ball-carrying expertise has worked wonders to encourage O’Neil’s side to be more direct.
This is where the signing of Dia comes in, as in capturing the 27-year-old’s signature, the manager could pair the threat of Cunha with the proficiency of the Senegal international in front of goal to bolster the outlet in attack.
Appearances
Goals
Assists
27
6
2
28
8
1
39
16
1
35
7
6
33
16
6
10
4
0
As highlighted above, the Serie A forward is a seasoned scorer in a host of Europe’s top leagues, with his 33% conversion rate last term reinforcing his clinical streak when handed the opportunity to score.
O’Neil could hand Cunha an assured outlet to work alongside in Dia, who if paired together, could drive Wolves to further heights and make their goal-scoring mishaps of last season a forgotten narrative.