With West Brom’s Matheus Pereira having moved to Saudi Arabia and Jesse Lingard seemingly not interested in leaving Manchester United, West Ham are expected to be exploring other options to strengthen their midfield.
Two other names have been doing the rounds regularly over the past few months: Chelsea‘s Ross Barkley and Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Both players are inconsistent and pretty injury-prone, which has led many fans on Twitter to say that they’d rather not sign either of them:
Not interested …
— Panni.Pan (@panicospangrat2) August 4, 2021
I'd sooner give Coventry a go
— tnorris85 (@tonydnorris) August 4, 2021
We won't be signing either
— DiGGy #GSBOUT (@Bull_Diggy) August 4, 2021
would rather never watch football again
— jack (@jackswagprick) August 4, 2021
Is that what’s it come down to?
— airbag (@airbag93986541) August 4, 2021
Neither both way too injury prone and overated exactly the type of player we must avoid either would be a step backwards ( probably suit the boards agenda though )
— Robert Andrew (@robboandrew) August 4, 2021
Neither – injury prone. Barkley started well last season but dropped off badly, and Ox is never fit.
— Dan DC (@DrDanielDaCost1) August 4, 2021
Neither thanks no sick notes and more quality!
— Colin Lyne (@ColinLyne6) August 4, 2021
The Barkley rumours have been floating around for a while, simply because Hammers boss David Moyes gave him his debut at Everton, and he is expected to be sold this summer. Other than that, there is no indication that a move for the 27-year-old is imminent.
There is said to be more concrete interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain but Liverpool are unlikely to offload him on loan, so supporters may well get their wish, with West Ham likely to move on to other targets.
