West Ham have immediately launched a transfer contingency plan after being hit by a major blow but it’s extremely underwhelming.
The Hammers are reportedly looking to bring in a central midfielder as one of seven more signings this summer.
West Ham tried to sign Julen Lopetegui’s fellow Spaniard Aleix Garcia from Girona.
But he joined Bayer Leverkusen instead.
Youssouf Fofana has also been linked with the Hammers once again.
Central midfield is an area of the pitch which definitely needs to be addressed at West Ham.
The mix of Edson Alvarez, Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse just does not work.
There have been rumours about each one’s future at West Ham.
Alvarez has been linked with a move to Man United, Ward-Prowse with a return to Southampton and – albeit clearly fake news – Soucek with Real Madrid.
West Ham must address central midfield
As it stands the dynamic does not work and it is up to Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten to get their heads together to solve the problem.
That task was made more difficult over the weekend when Alvarez suffered a hamstring injury.
The West Ham fan favourite was captaining Mexico against Jamaica in the Copa America when he went down off the ball clutching his hamstring.
Alvarez left the field in tears knowing his tournament is over.
Depending on the grade of the injury, Alvarez will be out for anything between two to eight weeks.
It is reasonable to suggest Alvarez will miss at least some of West Ham’s pre-season.
But no sooner had the news emerged about Alvarez than the Hammers seemed to spring into action for a potential replacement.
West Ham have immediately launched a transfer contingency plan after the major blow.
West Ham launch transfer contingency after major blow
But Hammers fans be warned – the reported plan is rather underwhelming to say the least.
According to The Athletic, West Ham want to sign Ismael Kone – from Championship Watford.
The Canada international played 46 times for the team who finished 15th in England’s second tier last season, scoring four goals.
Before joining Watford Kone played for Montreal in MLS.
“Clubs in top European leagues, including West Ham, are starting to take note of his progress,” the report states.
“But Kone is still early in his development. Given how quickly he burst into MLS without a ton of formal academy training, clubs are likely waiting to see how he handles more games against top competition… like in Copa America.”
At 22 years of age, Kone does fit the profile that Steidten and Lopetegui are aiming for in their West Ham rebuild.
He also has great physical attributes and a dribbling and passing ability described as ‘smooth’.
But is this really the way forward for West Ham?
First signs of tight budget?
It’s not as if Kone has been pulling up trees in the Championship. He plays in the crucial central midfield position yet his team ended the season just five points off being relegated.
If West Ham are looking at central midfielders who have impressed in the Championship, why not just keep Flynn Downes whose stats last season were far better than Kone’s?
Are we seeing here the first signs of the ridiculous budget restrictions at West Ham?
It was reported yesterday by a club insider that Steidten and Lopetegui have just £51.5m to spend on seven players as things stand.
That will be six players given veteran goalkeeper Wes Foderingham is signing on a free.
Of course it is always how you spend rather than what you spend.
And there is an element of ‘in Steidten we trust’ until proven otherwise.
But the fact many Hammers fans won’t have even heard of Kone, despite him playing in England for the last two years, is pretty damning.
Let’s hope West Ham have some other tricks up their sleeve.
Kone is currently in action for Canada at the Copa America.