[ad_1]
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan says he is “more depressed” by the lack of signings and insists he wants to avoid a “civil war” at the club.
The Hammers have only signed midfielder Tomas Soucek during the summer transfer window and have started the season with losses to Newcastle and Arsenal.
The results and the lack of new faces have angered fans and Sullivan says the financial challenges brought on by Covid-19 add to the challenge.
“We have limited funds,” he said.
Sullivan, 71, told Talksport: “We also have the fact that we probably won’t get money for the rest of the season and we have to keep the club afloat and pay the salaries.
“We have been chasing dreams the last two years and we have bought a lot of players who have not impacted the club, and maybe they will in the coming seasons because there are some very good players.
Last season, West Ham signed players like forwards Sebastien Haller and Jarrod Bowen, as well as attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals.
According to the soccer website Transfermarkt, the club spent £ 91 million in 2018-19 and recovered £ 13 million. In 2019-20, they invested £ 108 million in new faces and made £ 49 million.
Sullivan says the team is now “off-balance” and the frustrations at the club have been apparent, especially when Captain Mark Noble publicly criticized the sale of Grady Diangana to West Brom. a week before the season started.
Since the sale, West Ham has made unsuccessful offers for Burnley defender James Tarkowski and Sullivan says he knows manager David Moyes spends “18 hours a day” looking for players.
“I can’t just sign two or three players that the coach doesn’t want,” Sullivan added.
“I could easily go tomorrow and sign two or three players, but we would have a civil war in West Ham, because I don’t choose the players. We have a coach who is a coach, not a coach; if he were a coach he could do that, but That’s not the way it works at West Ham – managers choose teams.
“I can’t say for sure that we’re going to sign anyone. As the days go by I get more depressed.”
“Now we have the funds to buy one or two players, but unfortunately … the players that the coach wants we can’t get.
“We have several offers for several players, but the teams do not want to lose them … key players in decent sized clubs, outside the UK … so if we get any of these players, not knowing.”
The transfer window closes on October 5 and West Ham is also linked to Juventus defender Daniele Rugani.
The club also faces problems after Moyes and two players tested positive for Covid-19, which means they must isolate themselves and cannot attend training or the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 27.
