West Ham United face transfer red tape after Jake O’Brien developments
Frank McAvennie thinks West Ham would struggle to guarantee Jake O’Brien regular gametime in a potential obstacle to a summer transfer from Lyon.
The Hammers legend thinks West Ham still need another centre-back in the window following the arrival of Max Kilman (official website) from Wolves in a deal worth a reported £40million (Fabrizio Romano).
Lyon defender O’Brien, 23, has been attracting reported interest from the Irons, though Alan Nixon wrote on Sunday (7 July) that the club are baulking at a £30million asking price.
McAvennie thinks it is unlikely the club will fork out big fees on two centre-backs this window and is unsure whether Republic of Ireland international O’Brien would get enough game time anyway.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, he said: “It depends, I don’t know if David Sullivan wants one for the future.
“We need two centre-halves, so if you bring in this other boy – say he might come in for around £17m – he might be happy with that to progress him and that’ll be your two.
“We’re not going to get two centre-halves this window (for big money) that’s for sure.
“If this boy can play, bring it out of defence like this new manager wants us to do it that way then fine, he might bide his time for a game.
“But going from playing every week to not playing every week is a hell of a step, why put it in all week when you’re not playing the weekend?
“I know you’ve got to be ready but I’d go somewhere I’m going to play and wait until you walk in the West Ham team or a team like that.
“Having said that, we’ve always got injuries at West Ham so the guy will always get game time.”
Jake O’Brien surely too expensive for West Ham
O’Brien probably fits the age and profile of centre-back the Hammers are looking at but having just forked out so heavily for Kilman it’s hard to imagine another big defender purchase being sanctioned.
With Angelo Ogonna having left and Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd both said to be available for transfer, it might be that there is another reinforcement on the way at the back.
But £30m, if it is as high an asking price as that, seems a big game to take and the Hammers might plan to look elsewhere in their pursuit.
Having said that, at 23 he still has time to develop so there is a chance they might opt to take the risk on the transfer.
In other West Ham news, the club might be ready to go all in for one striker playing in LaLiga.
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