The West Ham United summer transfer budget is a real bone of contention right now.
Does West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui have some proper cash to spend or doesn’t he? That is the question…
The Hammers boss needs to make so many new signings this summer, and is hoping to supplement his budget by selling Nayef Aguerd for around £25 million.
The Said Benrahma and Thilo Kehrer loan deals being made permanent should also boost Lopetegui’s transfer coffers.
Lucas Paqueta was expected to be sold this summer, but that surely won’t be happening now after he was officially charged by the FA for alleged betting breaches.
So Lopetegui will have to work with slightly less funds than was first anticipated.
However, that doesn’t mean he’ll have to be particularly frugal with his funds, despite what some people may have you believe.
There is no reason why the West Ham transfer budget this summer shouldn’t be a healthy one. The latest claim doing the rounds from a London Stadium source suggests that won’t be the case though.
Top West Ham source’s thoroughly depressing transfer budget update
So, it seems like Lopetegui could be working with one hand tied behind his back this summer.
Sean Whetstone – a reporter with close links to David Sullivan – has shared an update on the Hammers’ summer transfer budget.
He said, “West Ham have limited transfer funds this summer due to the strict financial rules in which wages, agent fees and amortisation of transfer fees can’t exceed 85% of turnover.”
“West Ham have to follow the financial rules or face a points deduction and there is a real possibility of Paqueta being banned for life and being written off financially which makes things very difficult. The club source insist the Hammers will still be net spenders this Summer.”
Now, this doesn’t quite ring true.
Firstly, there is no way Julen Lopetegui would have taken the Hammers job if he was told that funds would be tight this summer.
We all know how he doesn’t tolerate any funny business from club owners – he walked away from the Wolves job after the board broke promises they made to him.
So if there genuinely isn’t much of a budget, we’ll find out soon enough when the Spaniard walks away from the club!
Secondly, if the money available to Lopetegui was minimal, there’s no way he would be blowing just over £25 million on a Brazilian teenager, with the Hammers said to be closing in on a deal to sign Luis Guilherme.
There are far more pressing priorities for the West Ham boss this summer after all.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Hammers News have already spoke to a football finance expert about our summer budget this summer.
We were told that West Ham have £90 million to spend on transfers before player sales this summer. So if the likes of Nayef Aguerd, Danny Ings and Flynn Downes are moved on, Lopetegui should have a very healthy budget at his disposal – one that exceeds £130 million.
I’m sorry, but Whetstone’s latest claim about the West Ham summer transfer budget just doesn’t ring true at all.
We will soon see one way or another won’t we.
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