West Ham United reportedly made a shock move to sign David Moyes’ former centre-back Phil Jagielka on loan from Premier League rivals Everton.
After so many of West Ham United’s cheap imports failed miserably in English football during the 2016/17 season, co-owner David Gold was on a mission to appease a disillusioned fan base in the build up to the current campaign.
Gold made clear that he wanted proven Premier League players at the London Stadium and delivered on his promise. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Javier Hernandez all arrived with a great deal of Premier League pedigree, and a couple of title winning medals, on their CV.
The experienced trio were fine top flight performers in their day. Unfortunately, however, that day is a long time ago now.
And after West Ham were so heavily criticised for bringing in cut-price, affordable foreigners with no prior knowledge of English football, the club is now under scrutiny for signing players whose reputation proceeds them and their best days are left well the past.
Zabaleta is a shadow of his former self, Hernandez appears to have lost that killer instinct while Hart is not even in the starting XI these days, dropped for Adrian.
Jagielka has been a solid Premier League centre-back and captained David Moyes’ Everton for many years. But he is 35 these days and no longer a guaranteed starter at Goodison. So news that West Ham were keen to bring him to the capital suggests that they have not learned from the struggles of Hart, Hernandez and co this season.
Signing Jagielka five years ago would have been an inspired decision. Now, however, they would be bringing in a player who is nowhere near as influential as he was during Moyes’ heyday at Goodison Park.
At least Jordan Hugill, a young, hungry player with his best years ahead of him, represents a welcome break from tradition.
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