West Ham United: 10 Bold Transfer Predictions for the Summer
West Ham is in desperate need of fresh blood (possible understatement of the year).
The Hammers midfield is solid, but the Irons could use pace and creativity on the wings, experience and consistency at the back and a few extra options in the attacking midfield/striking part of the pitch.
Here are 10 bold (and potentially ludicrous) predictions for the summer transfer windows: talented players who will make their way to Upton Park and transform the way the Hammers have been playing.
Carlos Vela
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Any fan of Mexican football knows how valuable winger Carlos Vela is. He doesn’t have the star power or goal scoring prowess of teammate Chicharito, but his creative instinct surpasses that of Hernandez.
Vela has been left to rot on the bench of two EPL clubs now, first Arsenal and, on a loan deal, West Bromwich Albion, where he has only played one full game in three months.
The Mexican starlet possesses the ability to read games well and make quick, important decisions, as he has shown with his national side.
West Ham could take him off of Arsenal’s hands for very little and make very good use of him on the left wing, where Vela could serve as the perfect link between Thomas Hitzlsperger and the strikers.
Joe Cole
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It’s hard to believe that former prodigy Joe Cole turns 30 this year.
Cole bombed spectacularly at Liverpool during the 2010-11 season, enough so that the side is looking to sell him pronto.
But that doesn’t mean he’s a bad player. Cole’s experience and pace could serve to expand the West Ham talent pool and give the team plenty of new options in their formations, or at least more so than current right winger/midfielder Gary O’Neil.
With Cole on the right and Vela on the left, Scott Parker in central midfield right and Thomas Hitzlsperger in central midfield left, the Hammers would be dangerous, pacey, creative and create ample space for the strikers to work with.
Hugo Rodallega
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Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega is a wanted man. A number of sides with more money and better table position that West Ham are rumored to want the Colombian star, but with players like Diego Forlan on the market, Rodallega may well be forgotten in the summer transfer madness.
Enter West Ham. Presumably, the on-loan Victor Obinna will be off to greener pasture at the end of this campaign, and bigger clubs may come knocking for Demba Ba.
Rodallega is just what the Hammers need. He possesses the same goal scoring knack as West Ham’s Freddy Piquionne, but he is creative and can play deep, like an attacking midfielder.
Put Rodallega on the field with Piquionne or Cole, who prefer to hang around by the goal, and you have a perfect combination of players.
Dimitar Berbatov
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Shazam!
Rumor has it, Alex Ferguson is anxious to get rid of Dimitar Berbatov.
The Bulgarian is 30 years old and in a slump of form. Add to that the phenomenal form Red Devils It Boy Javier Hernandez, and you have a recipe for bye-bye Berbie.
Like Rodallega, Berbatov is up against players like Diego Forlan, who have proven track records and are significantly younger.
Besides that, Manchester City has Carlos Tevez, Chelsea has Fernando Torres, Tottenham wants Forlan…hell, even Villa has Darren Bent.
That leaves West Ham to swoop up Berbatov with a two-year contract laden with bonuses for scoring umpteen goals.
Expect Berbatov to rotate with Robbie Keane and Carlton Cole, each of whom will score at least 15 goals next season.
Jam!
Wayne Bridge
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Wayne Bridge has done well by the Hammers since arriving on loan from Manchester City in January. He provides important defensive assistance and an integral link between the back line and the midfield.
Bridge’s runs down the left aren’t nearly as pacey or powerful as those of someone like Gareth Bale, but they provide space and crosses that help drive the Hammers forward and create chances.
City has made it clear that Bridge isn’t coming back to Eastlands, and he fits in well at Upton Park, so don’t be surprised if West Ham offers to make the loan move permanent.
Breno Borges
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Brazilian central defender Breno Borges has been linked to a number of big clubs through the rumor mill, including Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The (supposedly) 21-year-old plays for Bayern Munich though doesn’t see a lot of time on the pitch. Surely if he went to a major club like Real or Barca he would continue sitting on the bench, only playing when the big names fall ill or injured.
Interestingly, Real Madrid nearly signed him a few years ago, but Breno refused to submit to a bone marrow test to prove his age, so Real passed.
A club like West Ham provides the perfect launching pad for the next stage of Breno’s career. He’d get regular playing time, display his ability on a large stage and come up against some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Though West Ham would ultimately only serve as a stepping stone for the talented youngster, he would be an invaluable addition to the Hammers’ backline, and provide immeasurable assistance to the overworked duo of Matthew Upson and Rob Green.
Juan Agudelo
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New York Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo found himself in a disproportionately bright spotlight this March following an opening game goal for the Red Bulls and an international goal against Argentina for the United States.
The problem for 18-year-old Agudelo is that he plays the exact same game as Thierry Henry, and he and Henry are on the same team.
Henry’s prolific partnership with Luke Rodgers means that Agudelo has seen little playing time in the past two Red Bulls fixtures, and this pattern is likely to continue as long as Rodgers and Henry are successful together.
West Ham needs a young striker that will develop into a top talent but only play here and there, as needed. Their very own Javier Hernandez, if you will. Agudelo is the perfect man for the job.
Mamadou Sakho
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Frenchman Mamadou Sakho is exactly the kind of player West Ham needs on its defensive line.
Despite his young age—21, as of this writing—Sakho shows strong leadership ability, excellent technical skill and a profound ability to read games and react accordingly to tactical shifts and adaptations.
All of this is precisely what the Hammers need in a defender. Sakho is just the right candidate for grooming to fill Matthew Upson’s boots, and rumor has it he is itching to leave Paris Saint-Germain and France in general for England, Italy or Spain.
Alexis Sánchez
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Udinese star Alexis Sánchez attracted a good deal of attention during the January transfer window from clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Inter Milan. His performances have drawn comparison to Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Udinese refused to sell its Chilean star then, and this summer, players like Luka Modric, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van Der Vaart and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are on the auction block, causing Sánchez’s star power to diminish considerably.
Enter West Ham. As with Breno, Sánchez could use West Ham as the perfect stepping stone to a career at a club like City or United.
A diverse player like Sánchez, who is equally suited to playing as a forward, attacking midfielder and winger, is exactly what West Ham needs to deepen and widen its talent pool.
Of course, many would consider a bottom-dwelling EPL side/possible future Championship team a step down from a top-five Series A side. But who could say no to the council blocks of east London?
Maximiliano Pereira
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Maximiliano Pereira, another defender, because a solid defense is what West Ham needs more than anything right now.
Right now, West Ham’s first choice right back is Lars Jacobsen. Avram Grant has tried to use Manuel Da Costa and James Tomkins to fill that role, but without much success.
Uruguayan international Pereira is a seasoned player with a good deal of top flight and international experience. At 26 years old, the Benfica man still has a number of good years in him.
West Ham Loses Everyone Good
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So let’s assume that West Ham gets relegated.
Scott Parker will go first, followed by Demba Ba. Robbie Keane will be Harry Redknapp’s to unload once more and City will want more for Wayne Bridge than the Hammers can afford.
Some mid-table club will poach Carlton Cole as a backup striker and Upson will find work on a struggling top flight side.
And then we’re back to square one.
