West Ham United dealt Leon Goretzka transfer blow as homegrown verdict shared
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 believes Bayern Munich ace Leon Goretzka is the kind of player that David Moyes would like at West Ham.
But the pundit has been told that the Hammers are only targeting homegrown players this summer, meaning a move for the German would be out of the question.
According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg (17 July), the 28-year-old is on West Ham’s list as a potential replacement for Declan Rice.
Rice has left the London Stadium in a £105million move to Arsenal, leaving a gap in the club’s midfield that David Moyes will want to fill as soon as possible.
But former Hammers player McAvennie does not believe that gap will be filled by the Bayern Munich man, with Moyes instead mooted to pursue Chelsea’s English midfielder, Conor Gallagher.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, McAvennie said: “He’s the kind of player that David Moyes would like. But I’ve been told that they’re only going to go for British players.
“I’ve been told that they will focus on homegrown players. So the Conor Gallagher one I can understand.
“It will be home-based, so Goretzka won’t be in David’s interests if they are going to go down that road and buy players from these shores.
“But if you can’t get them, he’s got to go abroad. And players like Goretzka won’t be about for that long, so somebody has got to take him.
“I’m sure David will be speaking to the powers that be at West Ham, he’s got to find out if these players want to come. I think that’s Mr Sullivan’s biggest thing; he doesn’t like going for players unless they are willing to come.
“If they’re happy to come then he’ll go for them. I don’t think he likes wasting time too much, which is fair enough.”
In other West Ham news, a Hammers transfer development has emerged as one of their players is “increasingly likely” to make a switch to another Premier League club.