OPINION
Crocked players at West Ham United are not hard to come by at the moment, and striker Andy Carroll should know that all too well.
He has been on the sidelines since he got injured during pre-season, but he is very much on the mend and is set for a return soon.
However, with his current contract at the London Stadium set to expire in the summer of 2019, the decision on whether to trigger a two year option on it must be an absolute no-brainer after the recent eye-watering figure.
According to Claret and Hugh, triggering it would mean that they would have to continue paying the centre-forward his wage of £85,000-a-week – plus any rise in the Retail Price Index.
Yes, Carroll has been at the club for many years now, but the Irons would be barking mad to pay such high wages to a player who has hardly featured for them recently.
This is why they need to avoid triggering the two year option, as they cannot afford to pay that sort of money to a player who is likely to be on the fringes of the team the majority of the time.
Also, who is to say that he will avoid any lengthy injuries in the future? There is no guarantee in the slightest – so they have a right to be concerned about his fitness.
The Irons must recognise that keeping the club 6ft 4in [Transfermarkt] ace on for another two years is just an accident waiting to happen, which means they must not think twice about moving him on in the summer.
No matter how he performs in training, Marko Arnautovic is always going to get that place in the first team over him, and that is not going to change any time soon.
This is a complete no-brainer for West Ham – and the fans will no doubt be in agreement.
