I know it is early for transfer speculation especially as David Sullivan has already gone on record to say it will quiet window as we have reached our FFP wages limit. ‘I’m hoping we don’t have to do any’, Sullivan told The London Evening Standard when asked if West Ham could sign any players in January. “We’re right up against our wage cap and this is the best squad we’ve ever had in terms of depth and quality.It’s a tall order but I’m hoping we will have 30 points at the halfway stage. That means realistically you can’t be relegated and we can throw everything at the FA Cup”
I know what the Chairman has said but I can’t believe we are not looking to cover Reid’s centre back position should he decide not to re-sign, in my view we are unlikely to sign Carl Jenkinson permanently in the right back position at the the end of his loan plus James Collins, Joey O’Brien, Ricardo Vaz Te and Guy Demel days at the club could be limited. These could all bring significant amounts off the wage bill to dabble a little in the January transfer window. We know Sullivan won’t be able to restrain himself when the transfer window opens again.
Here is a round up of the players we have been linked with in October:
Virgil Van Dijk
According to the Scotsman West Ham have joined the chase to land Virgil Van Dijk. It is claimed that that Arsene Wenger is ready to bid £8 million for the player after reports from Arsenal’s scouts following his displays for Celtic in the Europa League. However could mix it up with a bid of their own with Southampton, Sunderland and unnamed Serie A side are also said to be interested. Celtic are said to be looking for at least £10 million for the Dutchman.Virgil came through the ranks at Willem II in Holland before moving to Groningen as a teenager, where he played in the same side as Southampton’s Dusan Tadic. He has played for the Dutch Under 19 and Under 21 sides and in 2013 he moved to Celtic for £2.6million. In 42 games for Celtic he has scored 5 goals.
Abdoulaye Konko Faye
The 30 year old Frenchman is an attacking right back of Senegalese and Moroccan descent and is believed to be on the wanted list as a long term replacement for Guy Demel. Although the Hammers have on loan Carl Jenkinson in place for this season, the club is covering its back should Arsenal refuse to do business on a permanent basis.
Konko signed a five year deal with Lazio in 2011 at a fee of four million euros and could be available for around half that should the Italian decide to sell.
Antonio Rudiger
West Ham could compete to bid for Stuttgart’s German international defender Antonio Rudiger in the January transfer window, according to the Daily Express. The 21-year-old was claimed to be of interest to the Hammers in the summer and it is understood Sam Allardyce might look to sign the centre-back once more during the January transfer window.Rudiger has made 54 league appearances for Stuttgart and was part of the side which were runners up in the 2013 DFB Pokal
Shinji Okazaki
FSV Mainz 05 star striker Shinji Okazaki is being chased by the Hammers, according to German media.The German newspaper Bild has reported that scouts from West Ham were spotted watching him at his last match. Okazaki has scored five goals this season for Mainz in the Bundesliga league.The Japanese International is contracted at the club until the summer of 2016 but the German side could be tempted to cash in for the 28 year-old in the next window if the right offer is made. Mainz could accept offers for around 8-10 million euros.In the last year, the number 23 has scored 39 goals in 79 games.West Ham were among three clubs who sent a scout to watch Modena 20-goal top scorer Khouma Babacar recently.The player has now returned to his club Fiorentina since but West Ham scout George Dixon watched hiom before his return.Babacar has spent the last two seasons out on loan first with Padova in 2012/13 when he scored just one goal from 16 appearances before bursting into life at Modena last term with 20 goals from 41.