Who are ya?
Esteban Cambiasso has led a highly distinguished career in football, playing for some of the top club sides in the world, and has won a monumental 23 club titles. The defensive midfielder has played most notably for Real Madrid and Inter Milan duing that time, the latter of which he represented during the last 10 seasons, winning the Serie A title five times and the Champions league once, in 2010. He has also represented the Argentinian national side on over 50 occasions. In short, he is a player of high pedigree.
Big Sam – spend some money!
The experienced Cambiasso is available on a free transfer, with his contract having expired at Inter Milan. With much of the transfer budget probably now already used this summer, following the money likely to be spent on Enner Valencia, Sam Allardyce is likely to be on the lookout for cheap signings to supplement his squad for the coming season, and may well see a proven performer such as Cambiasso as a good option in that regard. The former Argentine international is likely to command high wages, however, which could possibly prove a stumbling block in the era of Financial Fair Play regulations.
Believability factor
There have been several reports in the national press during the last few days to the affect that the Hammers are very keen to sign Cambiasso, and are currently involved in a tussle with Aston Villa for his signature. Apparently the club are willing to offer the 34-year-old a £50,000-a-week salary. If this is true then a deal could well be struck – it would largely depend upon whether or not Cambiasso would believe that he could get a better offer elsewhere.
Game-changer?
Clearly, a player of Cambiasso’s calibre can only improve the squad, and his experience and know-how may help the development of some of the Hammers younger midfield players. That being said, you have to wonder whether it would be wise to pay such high wages for an ageing player, in a position that West Ham already have plenty of options in. Cambiasso is unlikely to be too happy if he is not a first team regular, and a situation not too dissimilar to Alou Diarra could arise if he is regularly left on the bench.
Whilst older heads are still required of course, the aim of the owners and manager alike, judging from this transfer window, is to start building a more youthful squad, and Cambiasso certainly wouldn’t fit into that model. My personal view is that the club should save those wages, and use them to sign someone else in a different position.
