West Ham United’s interest in Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore is exciting – but only to a certain point.
That’s not what Hammers fans will want to hear given the immediate excitement surrounding the proposed deal, but it’s important not to get carried away.
Pastore’s £190,000-a-week wages are astronomical for most clubs and particularly for a club like West Ham where things aren’t as harmonious as they could be.
The introduction of a player on massive wages, even with a slight pay-cut, isn’t always a smooth one for a dressing room and given Pastore’s lack of playing time, it would be doubly difficult if he’s not up to scratch and stuck on the books.
The Argentine represents a risk anyway – he hasn’t played regularly for a while and would, regardless of anything, need time to get back to his best. How long that would take, if he gets there at all, is a mystery to everyone.
For a reasonable wage, Pastore would be an incredible signing. His considerable talent makes him arguably one of the world’s best playmakers at his peak and the thought of him being at his best in a side managed by Manuel Pellegrini is very exciting.
But the risk just shouldn’t be taken if it could upset the delicate balance at the club. Some players are worth going all-out for, be it because you’ve got money to burn or because they’re an almost guaranteed success but neither is the situation at West Ham.
If he demands that kind of money, move on and turn that ambition elsewhere. And it’s the ambition that’s important here – but you must do it sensibly.
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