Darren Gough claimed West Ham shouldn’t be written off when it comes to their chances of finishing in the Premier League’s top-six next season.
The talkSPORT pundit claimed that the Hammers had a manager, in the form of Manuel Pellegrini, who could attract players and if they signed another four or five players in the current window, it would give them a chance.
Max Rushden was dismissive of the Hammers’ chances of breaking into the Premier League’s top-six, but Gough insisted they had at least a chance as they had shown ambition in the transfer market.
“I’m just saying as a club that’s what they want (top-six finish), they’ve got ambition, they’ve spent the money last year,” said Gough on talkSPORT (17:26, Wednesday, July 3rd).
“They’ve got a manager who has already won the Premier League, whether you think he is a great manager or not (chuckles), he has been a winner.
“So they signed him, he wants to play a nice brand of football, he’s got good contacts, he can attract players and now the idea is he can go out and sign another four or five players… it gives them a chance and it looks like…Don’t write them off!”
OPINION
So Gough is positive regarding the Hammers’ chances of finishing in the top-six, well at least more hopeful than Rushden, but one part of his verdict will no doubt draw attention. The pundit suggested that the Hammers would go out and sign another four or five players in order to strengthen their side ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, but that surely can’t be the case? Pellegrini’s side have already been busy in the transfer market, having welcomed Pablo Fornals, Roberto and David Martin, so are more signings really on the horizon? After all London-based journalist Sam Inkersole previously claimed during a Q & A for Football London in March that the Hammers would only have a transfer budget of £30million, and they’ve already spent £24million on signing Fornals from Villarreal (Source: BBC); so that suggests they don’t have the money for four or five more signings. However, while Gough believes the Hammers need strengthening, their current squad isn’t in the worst shape. Pellegrini’s side only finished 14 points behind sixth-placed Manchester United in their latest campaign, so they don’t have too much catching up to do.
