West Ham might have made a huge summer transfer mistake by letting ‘outstanding’ player leave, journalist claims.
The Hammers allowed Sonny Perkins to leave the London Stadium in the summer, after he refused to sign a new deal with the club.
Leeds snapped up Perkins, 18, much to the dismay of the West Ham fans.
And judging by the teenager’s early form for Leeds, West Ham might have made a huge summer transfer mistake.
The Hackney-born forward bagged a sensational hat-trick for England under-19’s over the weekend.
Perkins is clearly a hugely exciting young player and it’s hard not to wonder why West Ham didn’t push harder to keep him at the London Stadium in the summer.
But have the Hammers made a big mistake? Or were the owners right not to cave into Perkins’ demands?
West Ham might have made a huge summer transfer mistake
Many Hammers fans were really unhappy when Perkins was allowed to leave East London to join a Premier League rival.
Leeds insider Beren Cross has claimed that West Ham will be regretting allowing Perkins to leave the London Stadium in the summer.
When writing his regular column for Leeds Live, Cross said:
Sonny Perkins and Wilfried Gnonto’s international feats are just the latest pages in a book of exploits from the new boys which keeps the shine glowing on their honeymoon periods. The former has 11 goals in eight matches for club and country since arriving this summer. West Ham United, who memorably made a disgruntled statement in the summer about this teenager’s exit, have only seen more and more salt poured into their wound by Perkins. The 18-year-old looks like an outstanding piece of business on a free transfer pending any compensation.
It’s a fair comment from Cross.
Perkins has been on fire since moving to Elland Road from the London Stadium in the summer.
The 18-year-old has now scored 11 goals in eight games combined for Leeds under-23’s and England under-19’s so far this season.
It’s a really tough one isn’t it. If the owners would have caved and bowed down to Perkins’ demands, it may well have set a dangerous precedent. There would have been nothing to stop other young players asking for more money and longer contracts.
Sure, West Ham might have made a huge summer transfer mistake. But we won’t really know which club made the right decision out of West Ham and Leeds for a few years yet.
Perkins may still struggle to make an impact at senior level. Only time will tell.