West Ham legend Tony Cottee has delivered his verdict on the club’s only signing of the winter transfer window.
If one person knows what it takes to be a top striker at West Ham, it’s Tony Cottee.
In fact when it comes to living Hammers legends they don’t come much loftier than the man third on the club’s list of all-time goalscorers.
Cottee is also a lifelong West Ham fan, so his opinion on club matters carries extra weight.
Especially on the subject of strikers.
Cottee has become increasingly vocal on how West Ham are run since being involved in PAI Capital’s doomed takeover bid.
And he hasn’t disappointed with his reaction to West Ham’s only signing of the window.
West Ham officially announced they had signed Evan Ferguson from Premier League rivals Brighton yesterday.
As many as 20 other clubs were allegedly interested in the 20-year-old Republic of Ireland star.
The Irishman’s relationship with his former manager Graham Potter seems to have swung the move in West Ham’s favour.
Cottee’s exciting claim on West Ham signing Ferguson outright
Officially, Ferguson has only signed for West Ham from Brighton on loan for the rest of the season.
Although Ferguson ends the club’s long search for a new forward, many Hammers supporters aren’t happy with the fact it is a straight loan.
Some feel a ‘dry loan’ smacks of short-termism and a lack of ambition.
Those fans unhappy with the fact Ferguson is only at the London Stadium on loan have accused West Ham’s owners of penny pinching.
Others are at peace with it the ‘dry loan’ given Ferguson’s ankle injury issues over the last year
There is no doubt the arrangement is something of a gamble for West Ham, though.
It exposes them to the risk of Ferguson being signed by someone else if he does well in east London.
Especially as it has emerged that Arsenal were considering launching a late bid to sign Ferguson permanently at the weekend.
Ferguson drops new hint over Hammers future
Now Cottee has made an exciting claim on West Ham signing Ferguson permanently after a new hint.
Both Brighton and Ferguson have dropped subtle hints West Ham can do a deal to own Ferguson outright in the summer.
Now in his first interview, Ferguson has dropped an even bigger hint he’s open to staying at the end of his loan.
“I’m back in some good shape…” Ferguson said in a sit-down interview with the club’s media team.
“I want to come in and do my best for the team.
“Hopefully we can excite the fans and then we’ll see what the future holds.”
Cottee backs Ferguson to lead West Ham’s line for decade
Cottee is massively impressed by West Ham’s capture of Ferguson.
And he believes West Ham will end up signing the striker in the summer.
Not only that, Cottee thinks Ferguson will finally be the answer to West Ham’s striker problem and could be leading the line for the Hammers for the next 10 years.
“At last, we’ve got a young, top quality striker!” Cottee said.
“I’m a big fan and potentially Evan can lead the line for the Hammers for the next 10 years if he has a good end to the season and we sign him in the summer on a permanent deal.
“The start of a new era, hopefully, COYI.”
West Ham fans everywhere will be hoping Ferguson and Cottee are right.
There will be a little wait for Hammers fans to see their new man in action.
Ferguson has nearly two weeks to work with his new team before the Hammers welcome Brentford to the London Stadium on February 15th.
It’s the day after Valentine’s and West Ham fans will be hoping it’s love at first sight when their new striker dons the claret and blue.
If so then the Hammers board must ensure this is not a brief fling.
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