While the first team is flying high in fourth place in the Premier League two of our Hammers misfits have been making the news also.
Maiga has been issued a 48 hour ban from Metz after failing to travel with the team to a Ligue 1 fixture with Marseille earlier this month.
A statement on their website read:”Metz striker Modibo Maiga did not appear at the airport the day of travel to Marseille, he was punished with a two-day lay-off by the disciplinary committee of Metz. In accordance with the provisions of the ban he will therefore be able to return to training on Friday 19th December.”
In July 2012 West Ham signed Maiga from French side FC Sochaux-Montbeliard for £4.7m, signing on a four-year contract with an option for a further two years. He is thought to earn £38,000 per week and it is claimed he rejected an offer in the summer to buy him out of his contract. Metz are reportedly paying under £6,000 per week of his wages while on a season long loan. Unless a buyer is found in the January or Summer transfer windows we are likely to buy him out his remaining year after his loan finishes
Ravel Morrison has also been in the news following his early release from Cardiff City. A club statement by Cardiff on Monday said “Due to personal circumstances, Cardiff City have allowed Ravel Morrison compassionate leave and permission to train in more familiar surroundings at this time with his parent Club, West Ham United.”
Morrison made just one start, six sub appearances and scored no goals for the Bluebirds during his loan.
The Cardiff statement has encouraged a flurry of newspaper articles and social media comments claiming West Ham want to sell him, terminate his contract or buy him out of his contract. On Sunday he posted a picture of himself in West Ham training kit in a gym. Other unsubstantiated claims say he has been banned from Chadwell Heath training ground. It does appear that Ravel Morrison is training with the Development squad in an effort to regain fitness however whether he is actually forbidden from entering Chadwell Heath training ground remains unclear. As for terminating his contract early, I fail to see what grounds West Ham could rely on. He faces serious criminal charges on 26th January next year and if found guilty that might give grounds for the club to cancel his £15,000 per week contract without penalty if they so wished.
West Ham could also buy him out of his remaining contract at the cost of around of 75% of his remaining wages but that seems highly unlikely before the end of January. His sale in the January transfer window for anything more than a nominal also seems unlikely, I can’t imagine too many clubs willing to take a risk before his court case is resolved coupled with the fact he will be available on a free transfer in the summer when his contract expires. Our last and probably most credible option is to loan him out for the remainder of his contract assuming his court case is concluded by transfer deadline day on 31st December.
Morrison signed for West Ham in January 2012, originally Manchester United wanted £3m but a deal was concluded for £600k up front and £25k per first team appearance up to a maximum of £1m. After making 18 appearances in a West Ham shirt that was fulfilled so Manchester United pocketed £1m. His wages over his 3 and a half year contract amount to £2.73m but he spent one and half years out on loan bringing our exposure down to around £1.5m
One thing I can almost guarantee is his days at our club are numbered and he will not be offered a new contract. It appears Sir Alex Ferguson was right all along and our £2m + gamble never paid off. You win some you lose some. Time to move on from what could have been!