West Ham have to make January move for long-term target Ronnie Edwards amid rival interest
West Ham United did not make many misses during an extremely busy summer transfer window at the London Stadium.
With significant funds raised from the £105million sale to Declan Rice to Arsenal, and a little extra generated when Gianluca Scamacca was sold to Atalanta, David Moyes had an opportunity to bring in reinforcements.
The signings of James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus, and Konstantinos Mavropanos have all looked pretty shrewd so far, with the former two particularly excelling and Kudus you feel a player who could turn out to be a real Premier League gem.
But there is one significant rumour that did not come to fruition that might end up coming back to bite the Hammers further down the line.
Peterborough United Ronnie Edwards was a name heavily linked with a switch to the London Stadium, and the 20-year-old centre-back is the right age and profile the Hammers should be targeting.
Indeed, a report by TeamTalk on Friday (13 October) suggested West Ham are still interested but there is “fresh uncertainty” as to whether he fits their model.
The issue, they say, centres around the fact West Ham are treading carefully with all new signings and player contracts as there remains uncertainty as to how long David Moyes will stay in charge.
But surely a player like Edwards is a gamble worth taking, particularly given the potential for significant resale value if it comes off.
The same report suggests Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth are also among the teams keeping tabs on Edwards – a player who has helped Peterborough keep five clean sheets this season and is yet to make an error leading to a goal or a chance (SofaScore).
West Ham need to finally pull the trigger on this one and make a move, otherwise they may end up watching on with regret if he performs well elsewhere.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers are considering making a fresh bid for Harry Maguire.