Slaven Bilic has been linked with a move for Chelsea star John Terry but when you read what the Hammers boss has to say on the matter it seems highly unlikely the former England defender will join West Ham.
Yes, JT started his career in football as a young Hammer and is said to have grown up as a supporter along with his brother Paul, both of whom were born in nearby Barking.
But with all due respect to the Stanford Bridge hero, who left West Ham aged 14 to join the Blues, he is the last thing the club needs. He is 36, never had a yard of pace to lose in the first place, but does have a great reading off the game and an unbelievable desire to win.
Bilic has shown he isn’t afraid to mix youth with experience but it doesn’t take a code-breaker to decipher the Hammers manager’s thoughts on acquiring the services of Terry, who has announced he is leaving the Premier League leaders at the end to the season.
Indeed, yes: boss Bilic DID state that he would “never say never” but when you add context to his full quotes on the prospect, it was hardly a ringing endorsement of a potential recruitment of the stalwart.
He said: “He definitely still has couple of years left. Every club will think about John Terry, there are not many leaders like him. But then again we have experience in that position, and plenty of quality in that position. I don’t think that it is the end of John Terry’s career. Never say never, but to be fair I’m not thinking about that signing Terry right now.”
Add to his obvious lack of enthusiasm for bringing Terry to the London Stadium, the fact that he has reasonable cover at centre-half with the likes of Jose Fonte, Angelo Ogbonna, Winston Reid and James Collins already available for selection from the squad.
Not that pundits aren’t queuing to talk-up the unlikley transfer. Former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins insists Terry still has lots to offer in the top flight and says he would be decent capture for West Ham.
He said: “John is a big family man, so I would certainly say China is out. America might be an option, but I’d like to see John stay in the Premier League. I think he’s still got so much to offer.
“West Ham have been conceding goals left, right and centre and John being an East End boy, that might be a nice fit, but whether he’d go to another London club is another question. One thing’s for sure, whoever gets him will be getting a proper footballer.”