Mark Noble insists he does have a say on West Ham signings and has already been looking at targets after recent shock resignation rumours.
Noble returned to West Ham last month in a newly created sporting director role.
West Ham stated Noble will ‘work closely in support of manager David Moyes, as well as working with the Board of Directors, providing input, advice, and assistance across all aspects of the football operation’.
But rumours surfaced on social media recently that Noble had resigned suddenly from the new role just three weeks into the job.
The speculation gathered momentum on social media and West Ham forums until co-owner David Sullivan spoke to Hammers News to shut them down.
Sullivan quickly spoke out on those rumours, describing them as “rubbish”.
The Hammers have made just one signing since Noble’s appointment as sporting director with the arrival of striker Danny Ings for £15m from Aston Villa.
The club has also sold Craig Dawson, Pierre Ekwah, Manny Longelo and Harrison Ashby.
Some have voiced doubts over just how involved Noble will be in West Ham’s recruitment.
Indeed the rumours about his shock resignation initially stemmed from claims Noble was allegedly unhappy about his lack of involvement in that side of things, even though he was only just getting his feet under the table.
But Noble insists he does have a say on West Ham signings and has already been looking at targets after the recent shock resignation rumours.
Much has been made of the fact Noble has been speaking about one of his key focuses being getting academy stars into the first team squad.
Many have therefore labelled the role as nothing more than a glorified academy coach.
And while the former skipper is the first to say he is passionate about making sure academy talent is getting through to the first team, Noble has insisted he is involved with transfers, revealing he’s been assessing targets with Moyes and the first team coaches.
“Look sporting director is sometimes labelled as ‘you get players in for the first team’,” Noble told Ben Foster on the Fozcast.
“(And) of course (that is the case), I was at the training ground yesterday looking at players (West Ham are thinking of signing) and having my opinion on that.
“But there’s no reason why I can’t do it with the academy as well.”
The key to any successful West Ham side is getting that blend right between quality recruitment and bringing through academy stars.
Noble was in attendance when Monaco played PSG at the weekend, sparking reports he was scouting a number of players.
But the real reason for his trip to France has been revealed.