Since West Ham’s successful ‘hijack’ of Kyle Walker Peters who was about to sign for Besiktas before a last minute wobble saw him commit to Graham Potter’s side, ‘hijackings’ have been something of a buzzword in the transfer dictionary repertoire of fan sites and media outlets. Every day there are ‘hijackings’ reported as clubs now scrap over the diminishing talent pool like a pack of hungry dogs intent on grabbing the last morsels of dinner.
But occasionally the news serves as a relief – West Ham appear very much a club in crisis, desperate for midfield upgrades and linked with everyone from 20 year old Congolese Mukau up to talent most definitely the wrong side of thirty – heading back to the club’s bad old ways of buying past – it players with no residual value and high wages.
That way further financial frailty lies.
Which is why it is something of a relief to see Spurs linked with a ‘hijack’ for West Ham midfield target, Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini. Football-talk.co.uk reports this morning that:
“Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made a move to hijack West Ham United’s deal to sign Lorenzo Pellegrini, as per Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport….West Ham have been in contact to sign the experienced player since the start of this month and are planning to step up efforts to seal the deal. However, Tottenham have held talks to hijack the Hammers’ deal”
At twenty nine plus, Pellegrini is hardly the brave new world of player promised by Graham Potter. Yes talented, but as far as youthful, pacy or being a player whose stock and value is on on the rise- forget it. At the end of a three year contract the by-then 32 year old would simply be another high-earning millstone without resale value.
Better Spurs spend their cash on him whilst the Hammers – reportedly – focus on young, up and coming players who will actually add something over the current midfield incumbents of Alvarez, Soucek, Rodriguez and Ward Prowse.