Summer Transfer Window 2026

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

If we lose Jander I’d rather try and find another young gem rather than continuing this weird ex player retirement tour we seem to be doing. 
 

We need to build for the future. 

I’d broadly agree overall but JWP should be in much better shape than Theo and Lallana were. Theo was fine for a loan but shouldn’t have signed afterwards and Lallana was never going to be fit much. 

[RedArmy]

1 minute ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I’d broadly agree overall but JWP should be in much better shape than Theo and Lallana were. Theo was fine for a loan but shouldn’t have signed afterwards and Lallana was never going to be fit much. 

But if we go up is he going to be good enough for the Prem? Recent form would suggest no he’s not. 
We need players that can play next season too if we get there. 

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, RedArmy said:

But if we go up is he going to be good enough for the Prem? Recent form would suggest no he’s not. 
We need players that can play next season too if we get there. 

I agree which is why a loan is best. I’m not sure he is re-joining anyway, Charles to Leeds seems some way off on the valuations, and he’d have to reduce his wages a lot even if West Ham subsidised. Brum or Wrexham is more likely from the perspective as their owners would pay a bigger chunk.

[Chez]

45 minutes ago, RedArmy said:

But if we go up is he going to be good enough for the Prem? Recent form would suggest no he’s not. 
We need players that can play next season too if we get there. 

Fair point and certainly something that should be carefully considered before thinking about a permanent signing, but the squad is full of players that are probably not good enough for the PL, so his signing isn't going to be that costs us next season should we have got promoted. A loan would make sense. Keeps the financial burden at West Ham's door.

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, RedArmy said:

If we lose Jander I’d rather try and find another young gem rather than continuing this weird ex player retirement tour we seem to be doing. 
 

We need to build for the future. 

I try and look at it through the filter of ‘would I want to sign them if they’d never played for us before’?

With Walcott, Lallana, Romeu and a couple that didn’t happen like Ings, it was a very firm no from me, although plenty of people disagreed. With JWP the answer would be yes, a fit 31 year old with bags of recent PL experience on a relatively cheap loan seems like a no-brainer.

[RedArmy]

34 minutes ago, Chez said:

Fair point and certainly something that should be carefully considered before thinking about a permanent signing, but the squad is full of players that are probably not good enough for the PL, so his signing isn't going to be that costs us next season should we have got promoted. A loan would make sense. Keeps the financial burden at West Ham's door.

For me it’s just making the same mistakes again. 
If we go up and he doesn’t stay because he’s not good enough we have a gaping hole in midfield that we either need to spend more than we realistically can to fill or sign a younger project who needs a year to get up to speed by which point we’re back in the championship anyway. 
 

Better to use a year in the championship to get a player ready for the prem as we tried to do with Jander. 

[revolution saint]

If he leaves West Ham then I would imagine JWP will be a deal done late in the window.  Doubt any premier league team will come in for him and that leaves Champ clubs who will likely be put off by his wages.  I guess Wrexham might be interested but I don't think many clubs will be beating the door down for him and the longer it drags on, the more West Ham will be likely to compromise.  We've probably got another 6 or 7 weeks to enjoy the speculation........

 

He'll sign for us tomorrow now, just you watch.

[saintant]

2 hours ago, RedArmy said:

For me it’s just making the same mistakes again. 
If we go up and he doesn’t stay because he’s not good enough we have a gaping hole in midfield that we either need to spend more than we realistically can to fill or sign a younger project who needs a year to get up to speed by which point we’re back in the championship anyway. 
 

Better to use a year in the championship to get a player ready for the prem as we tried to do with Jander. 

Agree. Is JWP the best available to us? If so go for it. Personally I doubt very much he's the best available to us and it's more about convenience and sentiment.

[HarvSFC]

I think his wages are too high to make anything other than a loan feasible. West Ham gave him a pay increase from us when he was our highest paid player and he'll still be on a hefty wage despite the relegation percentage drop, as McCarthy, Aribo, Ramsdale etc. were here.

As stated above as well, JWP isn't good enough in this current state to play regularly in a midfield two in the Premier League. Yes, we do have a squad full of players who aren't quite able to make the step up to being consistent Premier League performers. However, we can upgrade those, as their wages won't be taking out too much of our budget. It will be like the goalkeeper situation again where we couldn't upgrade for years because we were already paying top dollar for players that were inadequate for our situation.

So, yeah, loan I'm fine with and test to see what kind of player he brings to the team now. But, a permanent transfer would be reckless. 

[saint michael]

This seems to have turned into the JWP transfer page. Maybe have a vote. Not for me. Think we should move on. Not a great believer in going back, seems to rarely turn out well. Think Ralph got a tune out of him but all the other managers seems to have struggled to fit him into their teams.
 

it’s a no from me.  

[Sussex_saint]

If given the chance we should definitely take him back. Like said already, he would improve any squad in the champ. He’s very versatile, and for those saying he just recycles the ball and pivots backwards need to remember the times strategies changed in his last season and he looked the complete opposite (or his first season with West Ham). Same age as larin, and could not find anyone better fitness wise or in terms of professionalism. Also, considering how scienza is an absolute foul magnet having one of the best English set piece takers of all time wouldn’t be a bad thing. 
also those saying he shouldn’t have left - give your head a wobble! The man potentially had his last chance at playing for his country and had 20 years for this club under his belt. 

[Harry_SFC]

5 hours ago, RedArmy said:

For me it’s just making the same mistakes again. 
If we go up and he doesn’t stay because he’s not good enough we have a gaping hole in midfield that we either need to spend more than we realistically can to fill or sign a younger project who needs a year to get up to speed by which point we’re back in the championship anyway. 
 

Better to use a year in the championship to get a player ready for the prem as we tried to do with Jander. 

Totally agree with this

[Convict Colony]

guys never look back as we aren't going there anymore.

If we need to replace midfielder I say Spors has earnt the right to pick one whose hungry and young.

Anyway am off to France for a holiday but more really for the riots whether they win the world cup or lose, I'll be rioting with them 🤣

[Chez]

6 hours ago, RedArmy said:

For me it’s just making the same mistakes again. 
If we go up and he doesn’t stay because he’s not good enough we have a gaping hole in midfield that we either need to spend more than we realistically can to fill or sign a younger project who needs a year to get up to speed by which point we’re back in the championship anyway. 
 

Better to use a year in the championship to get a player ready for the prem as we tried to do with Jander. 

I understand the argument and I made it myself last summer, but signing talent that will be good enough for the PL the season after is credibly hard to do. It will be great if we sign another Jander, but if we sign another Downes, then we perhaps dont go up, which is a shed load worse than going up and straight back down again. One more year of the parachute. We have no room for error

Edited 3 hours ago by Chez