West Ham’s £15m Swoop For England International Would Be A Gamble Too Far

West Ham’s £15m Swoop For England International Would Be A Gamble Too Far

Jon Jo Shelvey

West Ham have certainly made some bad decisions when it comes to signing unreliable players in recent years.

You only have to look at the number of games that Andy Carroll has played during his seven years at the Hammers to know that.

The decision to give Jack Wilshere a three-year contract in the summer also looks like a mistake, although supporters will be hoping that the former Arsenal star can finally shake off his injury curse after recovering from a long-term ankle problem.



With an injury list as long as your arm this season, you would have thought the West Ham recruitment team would be looking to avoid any repeats this summer.

However, it appears the Irons are keen on a move for Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey. The Magpies are reluctant to give the former England international a new contract and are said to be listening to offers for around £15m.

The former Liverpool and Swansea player has spent most of this season on the treatment table with a thigh problem which prevented him from playing for almost four months.

It must be said that unlike Wilshere, Shelvey doesn’t seem to have a history of injury problems so this could well be a one-off, but it would be wise for the Hammers to be ultra-cautious before making any moves for the 27-year-old.

He is reportedly a West Ham fan so he would be motivated to play for the club, but his disciplinary problems are also something that manager Manuel Pellegrini would need to take into consideration.

Shelvey was sent off twice last season, and while his full-blooded challenges would be greeted by raws from the London Stadium crowd, he’s not a player you would say you could rely on.

There are too many inconsistent performers in the Hammers squad as it is and the Newcastle star would likely inject even more unpredictability into the team.

His unpredictable nature has positives and negatives. He’s capable of fantastic long passes and his creativity would be welcomed. However, his lack of control and the tendency to play too many killer passes would make him another frustrating player to watch.

Pellegrini needs a group of players next season who are consistent, reliable and always provide, at least, seven to eight out of 10 performances.

For me, Shelvey won’t be able to do that. There may be a few 10/10 games in his locker, but combined with his indiscipline and recent injury issues, it does feel like a gamble too far, especially considering the limited transfer funds at the club’s disposal this summer.

David Tully

David Tully

David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network.