West Ham will be a better without Declan Rice if David Moyes pulls off a rumoured triple masterstroke in the summer window.
West Ham have been linked with a plethora of players over the last few months and can now start spending after the arrival of the first tranche of £33.3m from Arsenal for Declan Rice.
The Hammers are yet to sign a single player in the summer transfer window. They are one of only three Premier League clubs yet to enter the market.
That is all about to change, though, with David Moyes declaring his ‘full focus’ is now on bringing players in.
While £33.3m may not sound a huge amount of money, it will actually equate to a summer transfer budget of around £133m for West Ham – here’s how.
Rice’s departure leaves a massive hole in the West Ham midfield and the dressing room too.
West Ham will be better without Declan Rice if David Moyes pulls off rumoured triple masterstroke
But the Hammers can actually use it to their advantage to grow as a team and a club. If – and it is a big ‘if’- they use the money well.
West Ham will be better without Rice if Moyes pulls off rumoured triple masterstroke.
What was clear during West Ham’s flirtation with relegation last season is that the system, style, team dynamic and approach simply did not work for much of the campaign.
This gives Moyes a chance to go back to the drawing board and instead build the team around the supremely talented Lucas Paqueta. The Brazilian magnifico has left no doubts about where he sees his role next season after switching to the number 10 shirt at West Ham.
That seems to be what Moyes has in mind judging by his three reported prime targets – Edson Alvarez, Harvey Barnes and James Ward-Prowse.
Moyes can go back to the drawing board and make West Ham better around Paqueta
Alvarez is an absolute destroyer who would complement Paqueta perfectly. Unlike Rice the Mexican is more focused solely on his defensive duties, giving Paqueta much more freedom.
West Ham are said to be ramping up their pursuit of Alvarez with a bid for the Ajax star imminent.
Ward-Prowse would add between 15-20 goals to any team with his set-piece deliveries and free-kicks. And West Ham are already one of the best sides in the division when it comes to set-pieces. He too does a lot of unselfish donkey work in midfield, giving that man Paqueta even more freedom and security.
A reporter with close links to the West Ham board claimed this week he was told the club is ‘confident’ of signing Ward-Prowse when the Rice money lands.
Three prime targets would take West Ham up a level but Barnes is the game-changer
Barnes could be a game-changer for West Ham. His pace, power, running and seriously clinical finishing would give the team an entirely new dynamic.
Having him cutting in from the left and Jarrod Bowen from the right would see the Hammers capable of a completely different style of play with Paqueta pulling the strings and playing those slide rule through balls.
Newcastle’s interest appears to have cooled on Barnes who, it is reported, prefers a move to London.
Brighton and other clubs have proved you can sell your best players and improve as a team and a squad.
West Ham can emulate that – IF – they get these all-important transfers right in the coming weeks.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Arteta praises West Ham in Arsenal’s official Rice announcement.
‘Rice is not bigger than West Ham’ says bullish Moyes as boss lays out plans.
Rice’s bizarre warning to West Ham about when he plays against them.
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