If only West Ham United had signed Josh Brownhill all the way back in 2020. That appears to be the reaction from many a Hammers supporter as the Premier League outfit close in on the Burnley captain.
Brownhill famously rejected West Ham in favour of Burnley when leaving Bristol City half-a-decade ago.
Flash forward to May 2025, and as Josh Brownhill is set to become a West Ham player at long last, the concern among large sections of the London Stadium fanbase is that – with his 30th birthday arriving over the coming months – the one-time Manchester United youngster arrives in the capital having already reached his peak.
The only way is down, right?
West Ham United fielded the oldest average XI in the Premier League last season, too. A 29-year-old midfielder will hardly have a positive effect on those numbers.
West Ham United fans have one big concern over Josh Brownhill
Amid links with high-profile targets including Raphael Onyedika, Ardon Jashari and Richard Rios, Josh Brownhill on a free transfer is hardly an addition to get hairs standing up on end for substantial portions of an already disillusioned fanbase.
“Oh good! Another 30-year-old to add to the team!,” one underwhelmed supporter writes on X. “Seriously, can we get some decent players who can last more than half a season?”
“Josh Brownhill; A solid squad filler, whose wages won’t be too high. But, coming up to 30 and another slow midfielder.
“Do we know we can sign players under the age of 28?,” one frustrated Hammer adds.
“So we were the oldest team in the league and our solution is to sign a 29 year old?”
“Terrible signing. Another ageing player from the Championship. We’re supposed to be lowering our average age, this signing is deflating.”
Hammers supporters hit back at Brownhill critics as Burnley star closes in
From a more positive perspective, however, to proclaim Josh Brownhill a footballer heading down the wrong side of the proverbial hill would be to ignore an outstanding 2024/25 campaign at Turf Moor.
He scored a career-best 18 goals as Burnley finished second behind champions Leeds United. For context, his previous best return was a mere seven.
For a West Ham side lacking reliable goal threats outside of Jarrod Bowen and the exit-linked Tomas Soucek, Brownhill should add some drive and productivity to a midfield which promised much last season but delivered very little.
Some will argue that West Ham signing an ageing player on a free transfer smacks of a lack of ambition. Others, with their glasses-half full, will say that Josh Brownhill arrives as a proven goalscoring midfielder. A footballer in the form of his life, while helping put those already-limited funds aside for more expensive reinforcements.
Furthermore, with Vladimir Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell and Danny Ings exiting, West Ham have already gone a long way to reducing the average age of a crumbling squad.
“Brownhill and [Burnley teammate CJ] Egan-Riley on free transfers would be astute signings and would get the ball-rolling this offseason,” one supporter claps back amid the criticism surrounding Brownhill’s likely arrival.
“Best midfielder in the Championship by the way, for free. Oh, but he’s 29 so let’s all have a fit about it! ‘We need youth’. Yeah, we also need leaders in a dressing room that is about to be decimated”.
“I complained about [the links with Aleksandr] Mitrovic but my opinions on Brownhill are completely different. We’re getting a player that still has the legs to get about the pitch and is a quality player for free as well.
“For free? A good squad player and great for the dressing room, also put up good numbers in the Championship.”
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