West Ham United have been linked with loan moves for several players over the weekend.
Failing to make the Grady as Big Sam vindicates West Ham owners
Money is tight at the London Stadium due to the financial impact of the pandemic.
David Moyes has admitted West Ham do not have big money for transfers. But he told FourFourTwo that he can make signings if he needs to.
Hammers linked with several loan moves including former star Arnautovic
Former striker Marko Arnautovic has again been linked with a return, this time by The Mirror (January 3rd, page 72), who claim David Moyes wants the Austrian on loan.
Crystal Palace outcast Mamadou Sakho has also been linked with a loan move to West Ham (The Sun on Sunday January 3rd, page 57).
And there have also been reports that West Ham will look to agree a six-month loan with a larger fee for key target Josh King, who is on a free transfer in the summer.
The transfer speculation has been poorly researched, though.
But West Ham already have the maximum two loans
That’s because West Ham already have the maximum allotted two loan players in the shape of Said Benrahma and Craig Dawson.
Premier League rules clearly state that clubs may not register more than two players on loan at any one time.
The maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time.
On that basis West Ham are ruled out of the loan market.
With Michail Antonio’s persistent injury concerns and Sebastien Haller’s struggles, Moyes needs another striker.
And forwards don’t come cheap.
Moyes can free up loan spots without breaking the bank
But the Hammers could actually free up loan spots without breaking the bank by shelling out a large new fee for a January signing.
When West Ham signed Craig Dawson in the summer window, supporters were underwhelmed.
Dawson had been relegated twice in two seasons. And West Ham fans saw the move for a 30-year-old centre-back from a Championship club as unambitious.
There was actually relief among fans when the deal – which was initially expected to be a £1.5million permanent move – was announced as a season-long loan with the option to buy.
But after two brilliant performances in his first two games for the Hammers, Dawson has gone a long way to proving his doubters wrong.
Dawson was man of the match on his debut at Southampton. And he was superb again at Everton making it back-to-back clean sheets.
So could West Ham use their savvy and make Dawson’s move permanent for a paltry £1.5/2million and thereby free up a loan spot?
It is certainly the cheapest option available to the club in the short-term. And Dawson has proved he has a lot to offer.
Another option would be to turn make Benrahma’s loan move permanent five months early.
West Ham have the money for the Algerian’s transfer set aside from the sales of various players in the summer, including £18m Grady Diangana.
And they have an obligation to sign Benrahma pending a successful second medical.
If West Ham brought that forward it would also free up a loan spot.
The Benrahma money has already been ring-fenced. So West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold would not have to find new money to fund a move for a striker in January.
Sky Sports report claims West Ham want two signings, backs up insider claims
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