Darren Gough implied that West Ham were more ambitious than Premier League rivals Newcastle United as they had owners willing to spend money.
The retired cricketer shared that previously you could have seen Rafa Benitez leaving the Magpies and ending up at the Hammers as they show ambition by having owners who splash the cash.
Gough seemed to disagree with claims that it was a sideways step to jump from the Magpies to the Hammers, and pointed out that the Hammers’ owners had proven they’re willing to put their hand in their pocket with Manuel Pellegrini.
“You would have said West Ham at some stage, but some would say that is kind of a sideways step,” said Gough on talkSPORT (16:12, Monday June 24th).
“But what they got there is owners who might put their hands in their pocket and they have proven it with Pellegrini.
“They gave him a £100million and they’re already giving him money this year to spend, so far as ambition is concerned at least you got owners who are gonna put their hands in their pocket.”
OPINION
West Ham co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan will no doubt love praise coming their way from Gough as their ownership of the Hammers haven’t always been spoken so highly about. After all, it wasn’t long ago that a number of West Ham supporters charged on to the pitch to show their anger over how Gold and Sullivan run the club. Some West Ham fans invaded the pitch four times during the 3-0 loss to Burnley in March 2018, as per the Mirror, and it’s fair to say there are no angry protests being planned anytime soon as Gold and Sullivan have started to take the club in the right direction. Gough is spot-on to claim the Hammers owners have backed up their ambitions for the club by spending money on transfer since Pellegrini has arrived, as they’ve made some notable signings. Last summer, the Hammers spent big by splashing £22million on signing Issa Diop (Source: BBC) and sanctioning a £36million to sign Brazilian attacker Felipe Anderson (Source:BBC). Yet Gold and Sullivan have already shown that wasn’t just the odd summer out, as they helped welcome Pablo Fornals to their club in June; and the BBC claimed he cost them £24million.
