West Ham are in talks with Fiorentina to sign holding midfield player Carlos Sanchez. for a fee in the region of £4 million, as reported by the Sun.
Sanchez will be a familiar name to some English football fans, after he played for Aston Villa for a couple of years between 2014-2016.
He also went to this summer’s World Cup with Colombia, and was sent off in their opening game against Japan for denying a certain goal with his hands.
The speculation linking Sanchez to the London Stadium appears to have come out of nowhere, and some Irons fans have slammed the idea of the club signing the 32-year-old.
But a small section have taken a step back to analyse the full picture about what Manuel Pellegrini might be thinking with the move, and they have concluded that it must mean Declan Rice will be the first choice holding midfielder.
Signing a 32-year-old for £4 million or on loan, does not suggest that that player will feature as a regular starter, and some fans are clinging to the hope that he were merely provide back up and lend a hand when the season starts to wear on, with Rice the man to potentially make the CDM role his own.
Carlos Sanchez only a back-up player and will be limited to first team minutes. Noble, Rice and Obiang all start over him. Pellegrini even then has the option to drop drop Wilshere deeper or Zaba can fill in.
Still been an exceptional transfer window. #COYI #WHU
— ⚒ COYIrons.com ⚒ (@COYIrons_com) 7 August 2018
CDM an area West Ham should have sorted – only issue left unresolved. But far from a disaster, even with Carlos Sanchez
1st choice – Declan Rice/Mark Noble (& Jack Wilshere if playing in a 3)
Back ups – Pedro Obiang/Josh Cullen
Reserves – Carlos Sanchez/Edimilson Fernandes#WHUFC— Jack Staplehurst (@JackStaplehurst) 7 August 2018
As back up! I personally don’t see a problem. I think rice will be first choice, obiang on bench and Sanchez if we need him! It’s hard to sign a top quality third choice back up defensive midfielder https://t.co/8lGGf7wHVo
— ExWHUemployee (@ExWHUemployee) 7 August 2018
We have one of the best windows I can remember and some fans are still losing their shit over Sanchez! He’ll be backup at best! We still have Rice, Obiang and Noble who will all start before him. Rice is class and should be a regular, he’ll flourish this season. #whufc #coyi
— David Watkins (@stumpyUK_1989) 7 August 2018
Sánchez will be back up to Rice & Obiang now he’s staying. Defensively Sánchez is an upgrade on Kouyate & Perez is a great 3rd choice ST
— Lorenzo Pace (@lorenzopace7) 7 August 2018
Im not saying at all that this is the scenario BUT if signing Sanchez means that Rice will get his much needed and earned contract and a starting place at CDM then I’m all for it with Obiang/Sanchez rotating throughout the season etc.
— Paul (@PaulLuckhurst) 7 August 2018
I really don’t have a problem with this Sanchez fella coming in on loan.
Rice will be first choice, Obaing is set to stay and he’s senior enough to take over if need be, and Sanchez will be a on a low loan wage as back up to them two.
Clever business if you ask me.
— ˗ˏˋ JΔMES ˊˎ˗ (@JameswhufcJones) 7 August 2018
Personally I’d have wanted to sign a better player than Sanchez but I look at it more positively that Rice has made the job his own and the intention was to replace the want away Kouyate with another body prepared to accept limited time behind a talented youngster.
— TheWestHamWayCoUk (@WestHamWaycouk) 7 August 2018
Rice will be first choice DM so no problem with this at all. All would have preferred someone else as back up but the fact is spent a lot of money this window. Cover in all positions not to bad at all. We look in much better shape now added loads of pace to a slow team.
— Michael Oaks (@mikoaks) 7 August 2018
If Pellergrini wants a player you have to back him he knows what his doing,we have had a brilliant window,if Sanchez does come in then back him,he will hardly play with Rice and Obiang in front of him don’t understand the moaning!
— ⚒ AL ⚒ (@6_AaronLee) 7 August 2018