The sale of Grady Diangana to West Brom has been one of the biggest stories of West Ham’s transfer business this year.
There can’t have been an angrier reaction to a piece of business anywhere else in the Premier League this season.
The only possible way it could have been justified to a small degree would have been investing the money back into the squad.
But the Hammers’ owners – as many fans will have suspected at the time – haven’t done much with the money so far.
Is the defence any stronger?
The Mail reported in September that David Moyes would use the funds from the sale of Diangana to bolster his defence.
Since then, they have signed Vladimir Coufal for £5 million (TalkSport) and loaned in Craig Dawson this week.
Surely the club didn’t need to sell a promising academy graduate in order to spend £5 million.
Baffling pursuit of Tarkowski
In September, the Guardian reported West Ham had bid £30 million for James Tarkowski at Burnley.
The same report says that the Clarets were going to hold out for £50 million.
That raises questions over how valid West Ham’s interest was, considering they were £20 million short of the asking price.
On top of that, Manchester-born Tarkowski made it clear when he left Brentford for Burnley in 2016 that it was to be closer to his family.
In short, the Hammers were bidding below the asking price for a player they were never likely to sign.
Winger in, winger out?
Sky Sports reported earlier this week that West Ham had agreed to pay up to £30 million for Brentford’s Said Benrahma.
That deal looks to be in the balance, but there were question marks over whether it made sense.
Did West Ham sell Diangana for a reported £12 million upfront (Express and Star) only to spend £18 million more on a player in the same position a month later?
It doesn’t make sense. Benrahma may be the more talented player, but questions persist over his tendency to flit in and out of games.
All the while, central midfield and centre forward has been left undermanned by the departures of Jack Wilshere, Josh Cullen and Albian Ajeti.
It won’t come as a surprise to many West Ham fans, but the way their owners have used the money from an unpopular sale has not been good enough.
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