West Ham United’s veteran midfielder Carlos Sanchez is almost certain to leave the club at the end of the season, according to Claret & Hugh.
The reliable Hammers news source claims that the 33-year-old’s current contract, worth £50,000-per-week [Source: Spotrac], expires at the end of the current campaign.
And it’s believed that young Irons midfielder Josh Cullen, who is currently out on loan at Championship side Charlton Athletic, has a chance of replacing him in the squad next term.
OPINION
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, really. Sanchez has seemingly been on borrowed time from the moment he arrived at the London Stadium prior to the start of last season. He had a major injury early in the last campaign, but the fact remains that as of the time of writing he has only played 13 times for the Hammers [Source: Transfermarkt] since he joined the club. He’s only at the club to serve as back up to Declan Rice in holding midfield, of course, so perhaps his lack of game time shouldn’t be much of a shock. However, the thought that the east London outfit would extend his current deal is surely a ludicrous one. It’s likely a much better idea to hand Cullen fresh terms and allow the 23-year-old to demonstrate that he’s good enough to make the grade in a claret and blue shirt. It’s either that or proceed with a past-his-best 33-year-old. Seems like a pretty straightforward decision, no?
