By Reece Bateman
Not so long ago, West Ham were crying out for a decent striker to partner Carlton Cole, and even before that Dean Ashton, in attack. Recently the club acquired Frederic Piquionne for around £2million, which in todays game is a fairly cheap, and in my eyes decent, signing. West Ham now appear to be in the driving seat with regards to Loic Remy after Sullivan agreed to pay all the money up front, although Liverpool have since returned with a cash + 2 player offer, however with Martin Jol’s impending arrival at Fulham, West Ham could also be set to sign Miralem Sulejmani. Should Jol move on to pastures new [Update: He turned down Fulham], it is believed West Ham will look to revive the season long loan deal for Sulejmani which, should all go well, will mean the Hammers will have no less the 7 first team strikers in the ranks. There are also reports that West Ham have agreed a £5million fee for Argentine youngster Milton Caraglio, and he is just waiting for a work permit which would make 8 strikers! For a change, Upton Park could be treated to goals galore, attacking flair, and free flowing football – something us fans have all be crying out for since the departure of Yossi. Obviously no-one knows if all or even any of these transfers will come off but lets hope we can attract at least one or two of these strikers to the Boleyn Ground.
Rumours are still rife that Carlton Cole will be axed to make way for this new attacking line-up, with Stoke apparently about to offer £8million for the England International. To me, £8million is not enough for someone who, despite a lot of injuries last season, still managed 10 goals, add to the fact he is now capped by England and possibly will be a big player over the next couple of years should Capello be true to his word and really shake things up i think we should be looking for at least £10million. However, Gold and Sullivan will need to fund the transfers in some how, and it could well be that Cole is the sacrificial lamb.
It seems as though Parker is definitely set to stay after Sullivan confirmed nothing has changed and the midfielder is still not for sale. Perhaps you could read further into it and say maybe Sullivan is saying ‘tempt me into selling,’ but hopefully he stays true to his word and Parker is here come September 1st.
For now, the West Ham management and board seem to be listening to the fans and addressing the issues we’ve all said needed solving for quite some time. Extra fire power, and decent and vastly experienced right back seem to be the next completed deals, although the Francois Clerc move has gone quiet after the reports yesterday. Hopefully now, they add a centre back and a decent back up goalkeeper to Rob Green and it looks like we could be set for a very exciting new era!
They tend to say that no news is good news, noramlly deals will fly up like the Loic Remy and Clerc deal and will then go quiet as negotiating starts, i really hope that Remy joins us contuary to reports this morning that he would like to move to Arsenal because he supports them, that bit of news was on news now a few weeks back, as far as i know, we are the only offer on the table for him, paying the full £13m cash up front, Liverpool are prepared to offer in the region of £9-10m but Nice won't accept that over ours so we are in the driving seat, fingers crossed this deal goes through and he ends up in our lovely new home shirt next season. It is great to be linked with soo many strikers but what concerns me is that very few defenders have been linked, an area in the team that i feel we are weak. I trust Avram though and have a lot of optimism for the new season.
Selling Cole to fund Remy makes no sense whats so ever.
i'm really looking forward to this season,theres so much more pace back in the team,if we sought that defence out with a proper right back and a pacey centerhalf,althought the later costs just as much as a pacey forward, I reckon 6th should be our target,i say that because we have quality coming back soon,when fit, plus our signings add up to a top half finish.
Chris, is Cole with a dodgy knee not worth cashing in on? you are a hard headed observer of football (you called the Zola style early) and I would have thought getting Remy would appeal to you?
The optimism for next season is infectious, who would have thought that we would be chasing so many good players into the squad given the dire financial situation.
I don't think we will land 6th but better football with more goals and less nail biting would do me, top half would be terrific.
What would you think of Onuoha from Citee for CB?
Onuoha is a brilliant shout.
I definitely agree. Right now we should be aiming for 8th, although a couple more signings and we could really be challenging like Everton do, i.e. challenging right behind the top 4.
Cole is getting the number 9 shirt according to the website. So i don't see him going anywhere without a huge bid!!
sort sorry !!!
Also this Remy fella, all he ever talks about is other clubs!!!
Do we really need attiude in the dressing room?
His really started to get up my jacksey!!!!!
I agree, the club are really doing my head in, we have put in a great offer of £13m for Remy which the club are ready to accept yet they are still trying to lure Liverpool and Arsenal to make an offer for him like its a bidding war, Liverpool cannot afford him and Arsenal i can't imagine going for him as they have just signed Chamakh, Spurs havn't shown any real interest so we are the only offer on the table for him, just want them to accept the offer and get him down the West Ham. Even if he only stays with us for a couple years, he can gain prem experience and be noticed a lot more if he does well for us, just keeping my fingers crossed that this deal does get done but i don't see it happening. Sulejmani wants to join us on a season long loan but Martin Jol has blocked the move and the player is extremely unhappy, Caraglio looks like it will go through, just waiting to recieve a work permit, Clerc also would seem like its going to happen, lots of transfer stories but yet to recieve confirmation of further signings, and that is what we want!!!
do u know anything about this Caraglio? Can't say ive seen or heard anything particulary about him.
Can't say i do know much about him as a player to be honest, all i know is that we are going to sign him for £5m. I still think the Remy deal is on but just don't know if we will get him or not, it seems Nice are trying to make it a bidding war for him.
Yeah I'm not sure.
If we get Remy though I'd rather us invest 5 million pounds into our defence than yet another striker.
Agreed.
I think I read somewhere that he was talented player, but only scored 11 goals in 2 seasons and has had trouble with knee issues.
Good morning all… here's an intersting story coming out of Ajax thi morning… turns out Sulejmani claims that coach Martin Jol has blocked the opportunity to join West Ham United on loan….
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6273…
But id Jol is to join Fulham like were led to beleive wouldn't that free the player up..? Hmmm intersting times ahead…. i've never been this excited for years waiting for a new season to arrive!!
Not sure mate but i heard the main reason Jol wants to leave Ajax is because he has no money to add to his squad. I think he wont let Sulejmani go on loan because he cant replace him. Even with a different manager were at Ajax he might have to stay.
Well we can foret about the lad now, Jol's staying at Ajax…just been confirmed on SSN.
I wonder if we'll give up on the player…after all, these days just because a manager doesn't want to lose a player…those upstairs decide! Hmmm, I think I've heard that happening at a club we all love, a few times…
well no chance of getting young sulejmani then. jol has announced he is staying at ajax. to be honest im not too bothered about signing anymore forwards. if this article is to be true, and we end up with about 7 strikers, how can that possibly work? at the most grant will play two up front, and maybe one upfront if he plays 4-5-1, or 4-3-3. can't see how it going to work out personally. the defence needs a shake up. da costa is fine at the back along with deprela and ilunga, interesting to see tomkins play at right-back in the last game so maybe he could prosper in that role. im starting to get really frustrated with the remy situation. why is it taking so long? if i was sullivan i would give it till the end of the week. it's not as if we dont have players to replace him. i would like to see faubert start the season on the right wing.
my line up v villa: (if we sign no-one else)
GK: Green
RB: Tomkins
CB: Da Costa
CB: Gabbidon
LB: Ilunga
RM/RW: Faubert
CDM: Noble
CDM: Hitz
CAM: Parker
LM/LW: Barrera
ST: Cole
(4-4-2)
GK: Green
RB: Tomkins
CB: Da Costa
CB: Gabbidon
LB: Ilunga/Deprela
RM/RW: Faubert
CDM: Hitz
CAM: Parker
LM/LW: Barrera
ST: Cole
ST: Piquionne
Subs (for both formations):
GK: Kurucz/Stech, Spence, Noble, LBM, Diamanti, Dyer, McCarthy.
I like both of those. The second option with Remy partnering Cole would be a class team in my opinion.
i agree, if he does end up coming then he should do well along side cole, or any of the strikers for that matter!
i'd say upson will stay in the end, and it'd be silly not to play him!
we pretty much need 2 or 3 new defenders, hopefully we'll get Clerc, not to worried bout missing on Ben Haim, but if Faubert is moving up to midfield then a good RB/LB is needed. dont know to much of Illunga though
I really doubt West Ham are wanting to axe Cole for funds. I think that is an overstatement.
Sure if an attractive offer comes along then it's definitely a possibility, although that's the case for any player isnt it?
I like Cole, he does a great job for us and wants to play for us alot. The latter is becoming more rare in modern day football. He is a player we would miss MASSIVELY if he were to leave. And then all the fans who wanted him to leave might realise the club's loss.
Keep him unless 12 million pounds or more is offered in my opinion.
i quite agree. im not the big lads biggest fan and have run him down a lot, but you are right, it would leave a gapping hole in our strike force. he has improved greatly and is worth a lot more than £8milloin. i would just like him to score more goals though, i never quite trusted him last season even if he was our top scorer…
may be the two daves are backing the remy bid with money hopefully from a potential cole deal ?
Cole for me needs to be more consistent. The Spurs game last season sums him up completely: an absolutely phenomenal goal followed by a phenomenal cock up (although it was an awesome pass to Defoe…)
If he can hold that ball up as he does and be brave enough to have more shots at goal, I think he'd be phenomenal.
Welcome Reece, glad you are adding news info daily, you are doing great mate, but i do disagree with your valuation of Carlton Cole. I'm affraid i rate him about as much as my dog in the striker front, and i think if we can get 8 million for him thats 7 million too much LOL !!! Is it just me, or do other guys out there think he's not up to it ??
Here's typical West Ham for you, Il have a go at predicting what will happen with this Remy tansfer stroy:
1. Nice will accept the £13m offer from West Ham
2. Remy will fly into the Capital to have his medical and siscuss personal terms.
3. Personal terms and a medical will all go fine.
4. Arsenal or Spurs then offer at the last minute for Remy.
5. Offer is also accepted and Remy changes his mind.
6. Remy ends up signing for either Arsenal or Spurs.
Im soory if i don't seem positive about this but this Remy saga has gone on for ages now, we are obviously really keen to sign him but i just cannot see him ending up at West Ham. Look at Eidur 'splinters on his arse' Gudjohnsen, he had his madical at West Ham, everything looked all set and then income Spurs who have about 8 strikers as it is and take him off our hands. I want players who want to be at the club and help ambition of getting up into the top 6 in a few years time!
Yeah I will not believe anything until the west ham site state it, or the player or his agent confirm it. Too often has the player 'pretty much' signed for us, only to sign for another club.
Its getting a bit long in the tooth… god I hope we pull this deal off! Sulejmani would've been a good deal… play cole up front with Barerra and Sulejmani either side. Both have got blistering pace which we so dearly missed last season.
true. Remy clearly doesnt want to join, so i say we just leave him be, we can spend the money better elsewhere. Caraglio seems ok, so if we get him we couuld spend the rest on a defender.
also, it seems Grant is looking for a second place goalie, do we need one? ive never seen Stech or Kurucz play. i beleive in homegrown talent, which is more than abundant, but doubt either of thoser are.
4-2-3-1. green in goal,back 4 two mids sat in front cleaning everything up and spreading the ball in parker and noble , 3 in attacking mid , barerra , hitz, piquionne used wide right , cole upfront !
Well slighty off topic… but Milner has told Villa he want's to leave… and after sullivan said Villa can't afford Parker… matbe the 20 million thet get for milner will see them put a firm offer in for parker… i just hope Sullivan doesnt go back on his word!!!!!
Parker is the new Mr West Ham… make him club captain and cement him in the team!!!
i would of made parker captain last season will be disapointed if he is not captain this season , on villa coming in for parker i'm not sure if he replaces or even fits into villa's midfield , been talksing to some villa fans and they say let him go and give us 10mill and ireland, richards, wright-phillips.
Would like to see this hammers lineup!
4-3-3
Green
Clerc, Tomkins, Da Coasta, Delpera
Bahrami or Faubert, Parker, Hitz
Barerra, Cole, Sulejmani
who is this sulejmani ?
From Ajax… loan deal fell through as Mr Jol pulled the pin at the last minute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLZdnujQjtk
ok . to be honest we need one more ST, a CM and a good CB and then its just left to see which boys want to leave but this transfer market is starting do my nut in , its slow because evereyone is just hanging out for the most money and city are the only ones with it !
i dont think we need a CM to b honest, Parker Hitz n im sure we have some reserves. if anything we cud shuft the formation a bit. the defence is the main issue id say
Cole is an important player for the TEAM. Piqiuonne will be Cole's back up as he is of similar style to Cole. Cole needed a decent striker up front with him last season, he was awesome partnering Bellamy, so we need a Remy style striker to partner the target men. McCarthy and Hines are still there too, so we only need one more striker. I'm willing to give McCarthy another chance to stake his claim for a place in the team.
Clerc is an important player to secure the services of. An international with European experience, and is a defensive full back, unlike Faubert who, although good, has had to adapt his game. A centre back along with Clerc and Remy should be enough for now.
But please don't get carried away. 6th place? Really? We only just avoided relegation, so mid table is the target, anything higher is a bonus, targetting teams like Stoke and Fulham.
We can then build on that……..
He was good with Bellamy, who by chance seems to back on the market again after falling out of favour with Man City…
We need a GOOD experienced CB!
Tomkins and Da Costa, although potentially a brilliant partnership in the future, are too young too provide a solid base (I'm assuming Upson will leave)
I have to say, I love the way da costa plays, afraid to run it out of defence and this may suit thestyle of football Grant brings
i agree we need a good solid experianced centre back to play along side da costa who i thought was very good when he got his chance in the team. he is quick, good on the ball and very good in the air and if we could get in a centre back to partner him and a natural right back then i reckon it would tighten up our defence alot. i like faubert but he is always inclined to make a mistake or 2 as he aint a natural right back.
campbell
campbell would be good for a season
i swear tomkins is RB? but yeah those two are for the future, we need some cover for the next few years, Clerc looks good.
He can play RB but he only played CB last year
Agree, Clerc looks a bargain as well!
some of these defences you lot are putting out would all concede 3 goals a game!
if we've got 13mil I suggest buying a defense.
sorry for repeating myself myself myself myself……..
who would u suggest we buy chris.
Stoke are preparing to offer £14m for Cole, i would personly rather we kept him but £14m is really tempting. What are your thaughts guys???
Take it! Although reports suggesting its actually £10m + add-ons so we would need to do some negotiating!
14 million up front = deal.
9 million plus add ons depending on how many games he plays and how well Stoke do = no deal.
Cole's a great option, if it wasn't for his injury doubts I wouldn't consider selling him.
It's impossible to buy loyalty, and Cole is loyal and passionate about our club
Agree. I'd also say every player has his price (even Scotty although that would be high) and for Cole £14m would be it
Is Remy any good apart from dvds, anyone seen him actually play?
yeah theres a vid of him on youtube scoring a goal against saint ettenniene i think
wow, if it was 14M it'd so be a quick decision. Caraglio and someone else in, result! Coles good, but not that good. most strikers for that price would have scored plenty more. if its 10M + whatever doesnt sound too good really, but 14M upfront is fine
i know that this is completely off subject but getting back to the "unsung heroes". i honestly believe bobby zamora should get some recognition for his part in "the great escape". i know tevez was the main culprit but he score some crucial only goals against arsenal and everton, and they were both crackers!
at the end of last season had u offered me £10 mill i would have packed coles bags myself but now i just think he has a lot to prove not only for west ham but england aswel. remy has not played in the prem and IF we get him who's to say he'd work out and if he does do really well it wont be long b4 the top clubs come in for him. i'd much rather keep cole for this season at least see how he plays under grant and if he can break into the england team, if he does then he'll be worth alot more than the £10 mill+ add ons. not only that cole wants to play for us remy wants to play for liverpool or arsenal……. i no who i'd prefer…….BOTH
Looks like it could be up to £14M with £10M up front & £4M depending on appearances etc. As much as I'd like to see CC stay that's gotta be a decent bit of business.
Carlton a big strong lad he holds the ball up as well as anyone. He works hard and when he doesn’t think to much can bang them in. He suffered from the knee injury last year and struggled to regain his fitness probably because we brought him back too quickly.
Is he really injury prone though, am I wrong or did he play most of the season before. Last year he seemed to limp away from every challenge and jump but this year he seems to have started pre-season in great form.
I can't say I'd want the injured Cole from last season again but I wouldn't want to swap the player I think he can be for an untried kid that cost us a packet.
As far as the Remy kid not wanting to play for us lets be realistic. We narrowly escaped relegation last year, played some dire football and even our own owners (rightly) slated us in the press. I think we should just be happy if we could attract good players, even if their motives are to move on when they make a name for themselves. Lets face it even if their motives are purely selfish, to achieve them they have to play well for us.