Mark Noble ‘cements West Ham icon status’ after Joey Barton transfer claim
Mark Noble is already a popular figure at West Ham, but his reputation will skyrocket after Joey Barton’s latest admission.
Recruitment will be the main talking point for West Ham in the coming months, and it has been that way for several years now, though mainly for the worse.
Tim Steidten’s failures have played a huge part in the shortcomings demonstrated by the Irons this season, in what has been a dismal campaign from start to finish.
However one failed transfer before his arrival at the club, may actually be the best piece of business ever done by the Hammers, and it’s all thanks to Noble, allegedly.
Barton nearly signed for West Ham
Barton is a name synonymous with football nowadays, but for all of the wrong reasons.
His constant drivel on social media about women’s football and ridiculing of teams he was never good enough to play for sees him in the spotlight almost every single day.
However, West Ham are alleged to have been on of the teams that made an attempt to sign him before his move to Burnley, with Barton outlining the reasons as to why it fell through.
Speaking via the Common Sense podcast, he said: “I did my medical. I was two days in the building, very close to signing for them. At the last minute, it just disappeared, and I went to Burnley.
| Teams | Man City | Newcastle | QPR | Marseille | Burnley | Rangers | England |
| Barton appearances | 125 | 84 | 99 | 33 | 58 | 8 | 1 |
“It was under Slaven Bilic – but I don’t think it was Bilic, I think it was a couple of lads in the dressing room, like Mark Noble and that. I can see if it was him, it fits because I was well better than him, and I’d have just taken his jersey.”
Especially considering his career amounted to nothing, and he has since had to turn to controversial takes on social media, West Ham fans can thank Noble for his involvement in the deal.
West Ham have a big summer ahead
While the topic of a failed transfer in this regard is a positive, West Ham cannot afford to make the wrong decision when it comes to recruitment this summer.
The foundations of an excellent squad are present at the London Stadium, but without the necessary injection of quality in the window, the progress achievable will be severely limited.
Concerns have already emerged over Graham Potter, but if he is still here next season, he needs to be backed with players capable of making a difference.