Guernsey Press

‘We’ve got limited funds’ – David Sullivan defends West Ham’s lack of signings

‘I cannot say for sure we are going to sign anybody,’ the Hammers co-owner said.

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David Sullivan has defended West Ham’s lack of transfer activity after all but ruling out a renewed move for James Tarkowski.

Burnley have turned down two bids for centre-half Tarkowski, who turns 28 in November, and the cash-strapped Hammers are now looking elsewhere for defensive reinforcements.

Co-owner Sullivan told talkSPORT: “We’ve got two or three bids in but the benchmark is very high.

“We’ve got limited funds. If we had £400million to spend and someone said spend 10 per cent of it, £40million, on a 28-year-old centre-back from a Premier League club who will remain nameless, you’d probably get the player out.

James Tarkowski file photo
James Tarkowski was David Moyes’ top target (Peter Powell/PA)

“I can’t go and sign two or three players the manager (David Moyes) doesn’t want or we’d have a civil war at West Ham because I don’t pick the players. Our manager is a manager, not a coach.

“I cannot say for sure we are going to sign anybody, and as each day passes I get more depressed. There’s no point saying otherwise.

West Bromwich Albion v Brentford – Carabao Cup – Third Round – The Hawthorns
Grady Diangana was sold to West Brom (Oli Scarff/PA)

Sullivan also moved to explain the controversial sale of Grady Diangana, which led to more unrest among fans and some players.

Young wideman Diangana’s £18million switch to West Brom prompted captain Mark Noble to tweet that he was “gutted, angry and sad”.

Sullivan added: “It was a decision made because we have eight wingers. We’ve got too many wingers.

“Robert Snodgrass played as a holding midfielder against Hull last night. Felipe Anderson is a wonderful player, Andriy Yarmolenko scored two and had two assists last night.

“We’ve got a very unbalanced squad. Unfortunately at the moment the players the manager wants we can’t get. He will be spending 18 hours a day looking at players.”

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