03 Jul 2026 09:23:05
Hello lads, would you rather we get El Mala or Pardo? Personally reckon those two are the final guys in the shortlist for the last versatile winger, expecting to Barcola to sign too but that's a post World Cup thing atm. ?
Also think Wharton is (and always has been) the main target at DM so hopefully that gets over the line too.
03 Jul 2026 09:46:28
I only see one of these coming in if Gakpo is sold.
Fernandez-Pardo will probably be a bit more expensive than El Mala. Both similar players, though Fernandez-Pardo is more experienced and has played centrally more often.
No preference from my side. Either would be a decent replacement for Cody if he chooses to go.
03 Jul 2026 09:52:44
Is Wharton a DM though? Amazing passing range, but never seen a bite in the guy when I have watched him. Would be a big mistake if that's who we want to cover the defence, he's not even mobile enough to cover enough ground and chase opponents down. I really don't get why people are fawning over him.
Don't get me wrong, briliant player for what he does, but not what we need.
Think it would be a fashion signing rather than an essential signing. We've had enough of those last season. Would like us to try something new in our approach, and not just go for flash cars in shop windows. Let's have a look what's under the hood first.
03 Jul 2026 10:16:41
We have the perfect guy for the DM position in the squad already. Gravenberch.
You know how I know?
Because we won the league with him playing there and he was the best DM in the league by a margin.
The baffling thing is, why did Slot then decide to stop playing him there? It's one of the mysteries of the universe that we will never understand.
03 Jul 2026 11:00:41
I agree Grav is and can be a very good 6 if managed properly. Last year he was constantly caught in no man's land because he had been instructed to score more. He needs to be told to focus on defending and being a 6. I also have high hopes of Macconnell.
AI has a rep for getting the best out of his players. Look what he did with Scott and Adams.
I think I would prefer El Mala, though I am not sure if he plays on the left. Parsi is just ok at lots of things but not great at anything in particular.
03 Jul 2026 11:12:00
I don't know. But if we're not getting Diomande or Barcola, then I'd like to see us pivot to either Bowen or an attacker that is Premier League experienced.
It's starting to feel like we're taking stabs in the dark now.
03 Jul 2026 11:18:11
Faith, imo, Bowen is gonna cost a fortune cos he doesn't wanna leave, he is WH's best player and they are relying on him to help them come back up to the PL.
03 Jul 2026 11:27:55
Faith, rumours West Ham want 50m for Bowen. El Mala over Pardon for me.
03 Jul 2026 12:12:27
£50m for Bowen, who turns 30 this year. I can’t see the club doing that, and I can’t blame them.
I think Bowen stays at West Ham. He will make the difference in the Championship race for them, so £50m is the right price for them, but I don’t think any club will see it as the right price for them.
03 Jul 2026 13:14:20
It's amazing how many people mention Bowen, don't get me wrong, I'd take him on free, but not if a fee is involved. What do they want him to do, arrange the pensioners outing.
Don't ever try to run a business, guys!
03 Jul 2026 14:35:44
Mytton, so you'd rather spend a 100 million plus on a player with one good season in the German league, which most ppl reckon is rubbish compared to ours, he might be good but he might be dreadful, I'd rather have someone like Bowen, a proven Premier League player.
Is 30 old now? Salah 34, VVD 33, Messi n Ronaldo nearly 40, so don't you run a business, be skint in a year.
03 Jul 2026 15:58:59
Wtf is Pardo?
Do you mean Alan Pardew? I think I'd rather have him than El Mala.
03 Jul 2026 16:30:08
Bowen is being held up as a comparison to Salah, Messi and Ronaldo? Seriously?
I know you don't mean skilfully, but he also doesn't treat his body like a temple, like the other three do. So yes, 30+ is a massive risk!
03 Jul 2026 17:43:04
Wharton is not and will never be a defensive midfielder. Gravenberch isn’t really up to the job as he looks like he doesn’t fancy a tackle and was only ever a stop gap in that position. We have literally no one capable of competently playing that position to a top level consistently in the squad and we’re looking at getting another soft lad who isn’t up to it.
Fabinho is the benchmark, and not one of our current mob is up to that, and Wharton is certainly not up to that.
03 Jul 2026 18:43:54
St Etienne, of course, he isn't on their level. I was comparing the age of players n how they continue to be good no matter what their age is. But Bowen at 30 isn't a risk, still got at least 3 years left in him... A risk is spending 100 mill on a player with one good year in a supposedly inferior league.