McAvennie reacts to £85m transfer budget at West Ham
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie is happy with a report that West Ham will have a big transfer budget for the summer transfer window.
According to Claret & Hugh, West Ham’s high finish in the Premier League this season has boosted the budget up to £85million – and that’s before the board decides if they want to add more to it.
While McAvennie is pleased that Moyes will have a good financial backing in the summer, he still cannot wrap his head around the fact the club failed to include an option-to-buy clause in their loan deal for Jesse Lingard in January.
When asked about the £85million budget, McAvenne told West Ham Zone: “That’ll be gone for Lingard then, won’t it?
“It’s a decent budget and I don’t know what the situation is but again, I’ve not got the faintest clue about why they didn’t get something in writing when they took Lingard. I just don’t get that.
“£20million would be decent for him. He’s gone from a nobody to being an England starter again. That’s a helluva thing David Moyes has done for him.”
Lingard was in steller form for West Ham for the duration of his loan spell, which has now expired.
The England international scored nine goals and supplied five assists in 16 appearances for the Irons, earning himself a spot in Gareth Southgate’s preliminary squad for the upcoming European Championships.
It remains to be seen if the Hammers are able to sign the in-form attacker on a permanent basis but McAvennie is right to say the club should have got something set in stone in January.
But, when Lingard had been so poor at Old Trafford, you could see why the London club didn’t want to tie themselves down in what could have been a messy financial situation.
In other West Ham news, this Hammers-linked ace has been spotted hanging around with two of Moyes’ players.
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