With four Premier League matchdays still to go, a former West Ham United defender and one who may yet become a West Ham United defender in the near future have already seen their fates brutally sealed.
And much to the relief of many supporters – West Ham United are currently 17th but safe from relegation – neither Leicester City, Southampton nor Ipswich Town put up much of a fight.
Relegated with barely a whimper.
At least Ipswich can say they made a slight fist of it. Claiming a creditable draws with Chelsea and Manchester United, plus an away win at Tottenham Hotspur, like Luton Town the year before Kieran McKenna’s outfit did about as well as could reasonably be expected with a team made up largely of lower-league operators.
Ben Johnson – Ipswich signed the former West Ham full-back on a free transfer last summer – was one of the few on the Tractor Boys’ farm with some semblance of top-flight experience on his CV.
Southampton, however, can have no such excuses. Aaron Ramsdale, Charlie Taylor, Jack Stephens, Joe Aribo Jan Bednarek and Kyle Walker-Peters. They had a spine of players with plenty of Premier League know-how. Plus, a number of expensively acquired attackers.
West Ham United given Kyle Walker-Peters boost by Fulham boss Marco Silva
According to reports, West Ham could offer two members of that Southampton squad an escape route.
Many Hammers fans understandably see Aaron Ramsdale as a bad omen – relegated with three different clubs now – but the goalkeeper remains an England international and a member of the Premier League Team of the Season as recently as 2023.
Walker-Peters has a lot to offer, as well. One of the more impressive performers at St Mary’s, although that feels like the footballing equivalent of turning in a praise-worthy performance in straight-to-home-video, bargain-bin schlock.
Hammers News understands that West Ham agreed terms in principle with Kyle Walker-Peters in April. They are willing to hand him the £75,000-a-week contract he wants when his Southampton deal expires.
And, in a further boost to West Ham’s hopes, Fulham boss Marco Silva ruled out a hi-jack attempt from The Cottagers ahead of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Silva also confirmed that Fulham would not offer Ben Johnson the chance to play Premier League football next term, with keeping Kenny Tete their top ‘priority’ instead.
“I can guarantee you [the rumours about Walker-Peters and Johnson are] not true,” Silva explains. “Our priority is to renew with Kenny. It’s normal for other teams to be linked with him as well.”
West Ham agree Walker-Peters terms but Tottenham are still in the race
Fulham may not be in contention, but a host of other first division outfits more certainly are.
Graeme Bailey told Hammers News exclusively that Crystal Palace are interested. As are a Tottenham Hotspur side which holds a special place in Walker-Peters’ heart. A graduate of their academy, Walker-Peters made his senior debut in a Spurs shirt.
“It was looking positive and the player likes the idea [of joining West Ham],” a source explained to Hammers News. “But Spurs are serious about him too so we are told.
“He’s a Tottenham boy so that may now come into it and prove decisive.”
Should he opt for the claret and blue, Walker-Peters would likely replace another soon-to-be-free agent at the London Stadium.
Vladimir Coufal is expected to leave West Ham. Though the long-serving Czech has not given up hope of extending his stay on the Premier League stage.
Ironically, Fulham ruling out Walker-Peters and Johnson could leave the door ajar for Coufal to swap East London for the West.
“I’m torn about all this because West Ham didn’t let me go to Fulham on deadline day [in January],” Coufal recently told Idnes. “Fulham offered great conditions. Karol [Kisel, my agent] asked: ‘Would you like it?’ I said: ‘Why not, if there’s no use [for me] at West Ham’.”
“I would stay in the Premier League and even in London. We really like it there. My son has started playing in the West Ham academy and is doing better than I expected. My daughter will be going to school next year.
“How do I explain to them that we are moving to a completely different place? That is why I need to hear from West Ham so that I can consider what to do next.”
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