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West Ham have reportedly offered a new deal to defender Jamal Baptiste but have docked his wages in their proposal with it yet to be accepted.
According to ExWHUemployee’s West Ham Way website [16 May], due to his off-the-pitch issues and him enduring a difficult season, the Hammers have decided to reduce his wages.
The club are hopeful that despite this, he will still put pen to paper on a new deal and look to fight his way back into contention.
Strange
It’s a strange way to show that you value an employer and believe they’ll get better by offering them lower wages.
Baptiste may not have had a good season but if there’s belief that he’ll fight for a first-team role, the least the Hammers can do is offer an extension with the same salary.
We will not be surprised if the defender does decide to turn it down and look for options elsewhere, perhaps even get first-team football.
Players often like to move to lower leagues rather than play academy football and Baptiste can do the same thing if he’s not satisfied with the terms.
The Hammers were willing to sanction a permanent exit in the summer and despite a bad season, want him to stay on for longer.
It does seem a pretty weird call from the club and it remains to be seen how it all transpires in the coming weeks and months.