West Ham will be in the market for a new striker this summer transfer window, although David Moyes has ruled out a move for £45 million rated Tammy Abraham. The Hammers paid that fee for Sebastien Haller, a move that ultimately failed and saw the Ivory Coast international leave the London Stadium for Ajax at a loss of a reported £20m. Moyes admits that the club were looking to replace Haller in January but were unsuccessful in their attempts despite going after a number of players.
David Moyes said: “In January when we sold Seb [Haller] we felt it was the right thing to do but if we could have found another striker we would have done it. We did. We bid for two or three but we did not get them because they were not available. But I wasn’t going to get somebody who I felt was going to sit on the bench or maybe not contribute as much as I would have liked.”
When asked if the club will be back in for a striker this summer transfer window the manager confirmed it is a position they will definitely be looking to fill: “Yes, certainly one,” he said. However, at a reported £45m Moyes brushed off suggestions that the Hammers would move for the England international.
David Moyes said: “It would rule us out completely. We will be ruled out. So if that’s the figure and that’s what’s being said, we are ruled out. We don’t have that money, we don’t have that to buy a striker at that price, no.”
The Scot suggested that the £45m it would cost for Abraham is more likely to be West Ham’s total spend over the transfer window rather than splashing that amount on one player.
David Moyes added: “It may well be [the total spend]. But you never know here. I don’t think we will be making a purchase of that for any one player. I’d be surprised if we were.”
If West Ham manage to climb into the top four then more cash would be expected to be available for Moyes to reinforce his squad but the manager said that may not be the case.
David Moyes said: “From the conversations with the owner I’ve got an idea of what sort of cash will be available, at that moment in time it didn’t change whether it was finishing tenth, fourth or whatever it didn’t change at all. There is probably a lack of money in the game.”
Moyes put this shortage of funds available down to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and teams being able to have fans in attendance, however, he noted this was an issue across the game and not one that has only hit West Ham.
David Moyes said: “There will be a lack of funds not just at West Ham but at most clubs this summer, we have gone through 18 months of a pandemic with no crowds, no corporate and cuts in most things, so I think it will be a summer of lesser transfer activity.”
Despite expecting a slower than usual transfer window across the game Moyes is still keen on strengthening his squad and is planning to do so this summer.
David Moyes said: “Ideally I want to strengthen, I want to add it [the squad] and if we can get the right players I will be happy to do so.”
