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West Ham: Bacca latest; Norwich duo considered; ex-Fergie signing targeted
After reports yesterday suggested that Carlos Bacca had turned down a move to the Olympic Stadium, hopes are fading even more today after another day passes with no positive update from the club’s owners and Barcelona said to be the latest club to show an interest in acquiring the AC Milan striker, so say .
It now seems that the Hammers will have to face the inevitable and look elsewhere for strikers, with every day a day nearer to the deadline and still no star striker as Slaven Bilic has requested this summer. The Milan number 70 seems like he will not be that man, and progress needs to be made as quickly as possible.
The major news so far this pre-season for the Irons has been the injury to Aaron Cresswell, who could miss four to six months with a knee injury, and that has forced the club into considering signing a player to provide cover in the meantime. One of those targets is believed to be Ireland star this summer Robbie Brady, claim the .
The left sided player, who can play equally at full back or on the wing, shone for Ireland at the Euros this summer after a decent Premier League season at Carrow Road despite relegation having just signed from previously relegated Hull City. Brady would be a good addition and with flexibility could be used elsewhere when Cresswell returns, but Leicester were said to be interested earlier in the window before being priced out of a move by Norwich’s demands, so a move for Brady may not be the most realistic for an unexpected signing.
An alternative may be his Norwich team mate Martin Olsson, as also reported in the . The Swede was second choice behind Brady for much of last season as the Canaries suffered relegation immediately back down to the second tier following their promotion.
The 28 year old is a steady, if average, Premier League player, and as he enters the final year of his contract at Carrow Road, he could be the cheaper and more realistic option for the Hammers after Slaven Bilic confirmed that he would not be recalling Stephen Hendrie from his loan spell at Blackburn Rovers.
Another name to have reportedly been considered is former Manchester United flop Alex Buttner, if the is correct. Now 27, the Dutchman was signed by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2012, but failed miserably in his brief spell at Old Trafford before being shipped out in 2014 to Dynamo Moscow, who have also been disappointed by him and sent him on loan to Anderlecht.
With just 47 league games played in the last four years, Buttner would be happy to be a reserve choice to Cresswell upon his recovery, and is also likely to come cheap as Dynamo Moscow are said to be desperate to get rid. Whilst his record is far from impressive, Buttner does have a Premier League winners medal to his name, and a return could be convenient for both him and West Ham given the circumstances.
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