West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady appears to have taken a swipe at Newcastle United’s Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) owners.

Although Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi recently left, PIF remain in charge at St. James’ Park, continuing a project that has thus far yielded a 2022/23 EFL Cup final and a berth in the 2023/24 Champions League group stage.

However, Newcastle aren’t the only sporting project for PIF, who are the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Alongside winning the right to host the 2034 World Cup, PIF have also ploughed money into the Saudi Pro League.

Their funding has helped bring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane into the league, among a host of other star names.

Even so, the league still struggles to attract crowds not only on TV, but also in stadiums, with many teams only boasting modest followings.

Brady critical of PIF – “You can’t just beat that with mountains of money

Brady travelled to the Middle East earlier this year to look for extra investment in West Ham.

However, the 55-year-old doesn’t appear scared to speak her mind when it comes to the Saudi football project.

In fact, Brady is certain the Pro League will never catch up to the Premier League in terms of quality or prestige.

“An average Pro League crowd is about 8,000,” she wrote in The Sun.

“Yet the Saudi Public Investment Fund has spent prodigiously on many sports in continuing efforts to improve its worldwide reputation.

“Yes, the state has zillions to throw at sport and football in particular.

“In contrast, England has huge crowds, competitive leagues, a decent infrastructure, top teams and players, high wages and tradition.

“The Prem also looks after the whole pyramid — giving away about 20 per cent of its income to the EFL, WSL, PFA, FA and grassroots football. You can’t beat that with just mountains of money.”

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West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek asked Czech Republic manager Ivan Hasek to wait outside the dressing room while he berated his teammates following their 4-1 humiliation against Georgia.

The Czechs were humiliated in their UEFA Nations League B Group 1 opener against Euro 2024 surprise package Georgia.

Goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giorgi Chakvetadze, Georges Mikautadze and Giorgi Kochorashvili fired Georgia into a 66th-minute 4-0 lead in Tbilisi.

Viktoria Plzen midfielder Lukas Kalvach was able to pull a goal back for the visitors but it proved scant consolation on an embarrassing night for the Czech Republic — who also suffered Euro 2024 disappointment over the summer, exiting at the group stage with just one point.

West Ham star Tomas Soucek dresses down Czech teammates

According to a report from Sportweb, Czech Republic captain Soucek asked manager Hasek to wait outside the dressing room while he let his teammates know exactly what he thought of their performance.

Soucek himself hinted that such a meeting took place during his post-match interview.

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West Ham United had an eventful transfer window and they have improved their squad greatly. 

The Hammers have brought in multiple quality signings like Max Kilman, Carlos Soler, Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysencio Summerville, and Niclas Fullkrug.

However, their substantial net spend means that they will not be able to spend freely during the January transfer window. According to West Ham insider Sean Whetstone, they will have to be mindful of their business in the winter market.

He wrote on X: “West Ham transfer spend of £122m over the summer with £40m of sales outbound left a net spend of £82m. The summer net spend will mean there be limited funds in January for Julen Lopetegui & Tim Steidten and £34m is already committed for next summer’s transfer budget for Jean-Clair Todibo after just five appearances for his obligation to buy.”

West Ham could still use a couple of quality additions and it will be interesting to see if they can exploit the free agent and the loan market to improve their squad.

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The Hammers will be expected to finish in the European positions this season and they will be expected to do well in the cup competitions as well. Julen Lopetegui has been backed significantly in the market and he will need to deliver on the pitch now.

West Ham have been competing in the European competition for the last two seasons and they won the Conference League under David Moyes. Lopetegui will be expected to improve on that. There is no doubt that he is a quality manager who is capable of succeeding at the London club. In addition to that, he has a better squad at his disposal as well.

It remains to be seen whether the Hammers decide to dip into the transfer market in January.

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West Ham United did not hesitate to splash the cash this summer on new signings.

The Hammers have strengthened their squad in all the positions as the club embark on a new journey under manager Julen Lopetegui.

They have added fresh faces to their defense, midfield and in attack, with a number of players leaving the club this summer as well.

The Hammers want to build up on their top half finish in the Premier League last season and for that they have been busy in the transfer market.

Even for next year, they have nearly wrapped up their first signing of 2025.

According to transfer news specialist Fabrizio Romano, West Ham United will complete the permanent signing of French defender Jean-Clair Todibo next summer.

He wrote on his X account:

“The obligation to buy clause (€40m) into Jean-Clair Todibo deal at West Ham from OGC Nice is very easy to reach, almost guaranteed.

“It will be triggered soon as French centre back can already be considered 100% West Ham player, as always mentioned.”

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The obligation to buy clause (€40m) into Jean-Clair Todibo deal at West Ham from OGC Nice is very easy to reach, almost guaranteed.

It will be triggered soon as French centre back can already be considered 100% West Ham player, as always mentioned. pic.twitter.com/RRstfDinHU

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 8, 2024

The defender is expected to become a permanent part of the Hammers defense and form a partnership with other new signing Max Kilman.

The east Londoners beat competition from some of the biggest clubs in Europe to sign the centre-back this summer.

Signing him permanently next year will make a statement and show the ambition of the club.

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Sergi Roberto has admitted he rejected offers from the Premier League prior to signing for Italian side Como. 

According to reports over the summer, West Ham United showed serious interest in the 373-time Barcelona star, who won seven La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues during his time with the Blaugrana.

It was also rumoured that Roberto rejected an offer from Tottenham Hotspur during the transfer window before eventually settling on joining newly promoted Serie A side Como.

Ex-West Ham target Roberto confirms he rejected Premier League offers

While not naming any specific clubs, Roberto has confirmed he rejected offers from Premier League clubs over the summer, as well as teams from the Middle East and throughout Europe.

In the end, former Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas proved the defining factor in his role as coach at Como.

“It’s an honour to have him as a coach,” Roberto said of Fabregas (via Football Italia).

“He was one of the best footballers in the world, and now I can’t wait to start his adventure by his side. He has just started his career, and I am sure we’ll help each other in many ways.”

On interest over the summer, the 32-year-old continued: “I had offers from Spain, the Middle East, and others from Europe, as well as Serie A and Premier, but when I spoke to Fabregas for the first time, I understood how ambitious the club was.

“The target is to stay in Serie A, but I appreciate that Cesc and the club think big. Having him as a coach impacted my decision, and, not less importantly, Como is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

“Everyone knows he was a smart footballer and I’ve always admired the quality of his assists and how he moved inside the box, starting from midfield. He is a very demanding coach. He wants to dominate games, have possession, and play attacking football, as he used to do.”

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Canadian striker Jonathan David has confirmed he is in talks with Lille over a new contract despite being heavily linked with several Premier League clubs.

David has been a key player for Les Dogues since joining from Gent in 2020, notching 87 goals and 20 assists in 190 appearances across all competitions while lifting Ligue 1 and French Super Cup titles along the way.

The 24-year-old’s form has not gone unnoticed, with Sky Sports reporting over the summer that Premier League quartet Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and West Ham United all showed interest.

David has just one year left on his current deal with Lille, which is understood to have further fuelled the intrigue from England.

Jonathan David opens Lille talks despite PL interest

Of course, with the English window now closed, any move for David would have to wait until January.

The current state of affairs would mean clubs are able to discuss terms with David over a free transfer in the summer, or force Lille’s hand to sell for a reduced fee in January rather than lose him for nothing six months later.

But David has now made the surprising revelation that he is discussing a new deal with Lille, probably in an effort by the club to ensure they can land a huge fee for the 55-time Canada international.

“Right now, we’re speaking with (LOSC president) Olivier Letang about a possible extension. We’ll see how that goes,” David — who drew level with Cyle Larin as Canada’s all-time top scorer on 29 goals with his strike in a 2-1 win over the USA — told The Athletic (via Sky Sports).

The striker added: “I’m open to anything. I think obviously the Premier League is regarded as one of the best leagues in the world.

“And for me, it’s not the Premier League or bust. I’m open to anything and every league has its challenges.”

The post “Right now, we’re speaking” – Man Utd, Chelsea & Tottenham target confirms talks appeared first on CaughtOffside.

West Ham United signed French international defender Jean Clair Todibo on loan during the summer transfer window.

The 24-year-old central defender joined West Ham on loan with an obligation to buy, should certain conditions be met.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the conditions are very easy to reach and it is almost guaranteed that they will spend €40 million to turn the loan deal into a permanent one.

He tweeted: “The obligation to buy clause (€40m) into Jean-Clair Todibo deal at West Ham from OGC Nice is very easy to reach, almost guaranteed. It will be triggered soon as French centre back can already be considered 100% West Ham player, as always mentioned.”

Todibo has done reasonably well for West Ham so far, and he will look to establish himself as a key player for the club in the coming seasons. The Hammers needed defensive reinforcements during the summer transfer window, and they will be delighted to have secured the French international’s signature.

He is likely to improve further with coaching and experience. The 24-year-old has all the attributes to develop into a quality Premier League defender. Signing him for €40 million would represent an impressive bit of business. The defender certainly has the potential to justify the investment in the long term.

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Jean-Clair Todibo might look to join a bigger club in future

If he manages to impress at West Ham in the coming seasons, he might get an opportunity to join a bigger club in the near future. Todibo has previously failed to make his mark at a big club like Barcelona and he will look to prove himself at the highest level and play for a club capable of winning major trophies.

It remains to be seen whether he can succeed at West Ham and help them win trophies in the coming seasons.

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West Ham are closely monitoring Swansea City midfielder Azeem Abdulai, who has been described as the new Jude Bellingham according to reports.

The Hammers were busy in the summer as they overhauled the squad and prepared for life under Julen Lopetegui with a flurry of new signings.

The likes of Crysencio Summerville, Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all arrived at the London Stadium with the club aiming to get back into Europe this season.

West Ham after Abdulai

The Hammers haven’t had the best start to the season with just one win from their opening three Premier League games, with it likely to take time for all the new signings to gel.

The summer window may have only just slammed shut but already players are being linked with West Ham and TEAMtalk have reported the club are keeping an eye on Swansea midfielder Abdulai.

The 21-year-year-has enjoyed an impressive start to the Championship season with two goals in five appearances in all competitions.

The report adds that West Ham scouts along with their Bournemouth counterparts have been making regular checks on the midfielder.

Abdulai is a Scotland under-21 international and currently has two years left on his contract with the Swans.

The Swansea man has only made 16 appearances for the club after making his debut in the Carabao Cup in 2022.

TEAMtalk add that the Welsh side are aware of the increased interest in the midfielder and are looking to keep hold of him.

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However, they could face a tough task doing so and if Abdulai doesn’t want to extend his contract then the Swans really need to cash in as he will have 18 months left in January, and just a year next summer.

From a West Ham perspective it’s clear that James Ward Prowse isn’t part of the long term plans at the club after he was loaned to Nottingham Forest and they could be looking for a younger more talented option to compete for a place in midfield.

The post West Ham planning to sign 21-year-old powerhouse as Soucek replacement appeared first on CaughtOffside.

West Ham United defender Vladimir Coufal has struggled for regular game time at the London club this season.

Since the arrival of Julen Lopetegui, he has not been a regular starter for the Hammers and the player has now questioned the manager’s tactics after the game against Manchester City.

The defender revealed to the club’s official website that Manchester City exploited the flaws in their system quite easily during the first half, but the manager made the necessary changes at halftime and West Ham looked a lot better during the second half.

However, the Hammers are still getting used to the new system after having played in a different style under another manager for five seasons. Coufal believes that the players have a lot to learn and they are going to improve with time. The defender further stated that the players will have to work hard during the international break in order to get used to the manager’s methods.

“They (Man City) had a lot of chances in the first half, and it didn’t work out quite well to be honest, but we changed something for the second half, and I think it was much better as we had a lot more possession, created some chances, and also hit the post…” Coufal told West Ham’s website.

“We went to a back five and tried to get a bit higher up the pitch and put some pressure on them. I think it was working quite well until we conceded the third goal, and that won them the game.

“It’s totally different when you’ve been playing a different style under another manager for the last five years.

“It’s quite the opposite now as we are trying to keep ball and press, but we didn’t catch all the mistakes so far, so we have the international break to work on it.

“We have to take the positives from the games we’ve played so far in the Premier League, and we will be alright.” 

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West Ham have put together a talented squad and they have adequate depth in the side as well. It will be interesting to see if they can secure European qualification this season.

Lopetegui will certainly be expected to guide West Ham to a respectable finish this season. They have been competing in Europe in the last two seasons and the fans will certainly expect them to sustain that level in the coming seasons as well.

As for Coufal, he will hope to force his way into the starting lineup soon and hold down a regular spot in the side.

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Even after the summer transfer window closed, West Ham United are still looking to make new signings.

The Hammers strengthened their squad extensively in the summer and signed nine new players to provide new manager Julen Lopetegui the perfect platform to perform this season.

The east Londoners did not hesitate in splashing the cash on new players and now it is up to the manager to find a way to fit them all in the same team and bring the best out of them.

Despite signing three defenders, two of them centre-backs, the club is still short in the central defensive position.

They are now looking at the free agent market to sign players in that position and they have already identified their two targets.

According to GiveMeSport, the Hammers are targeting a move for former Liverpool defender Joel Matip as well as John Egan, who has been released by Sheffield United.

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Sep 9 2024, 22:27

With Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos already at the club, the new manager is looking for options that he could use from the bench.

Both Matip and Egan are experienced and can prove to be valuable additions to the team.

The Hammers might be better off moving for Egan as Matip is well known for his injury issues.

He even spent the second part of last season out with an ACL injury and the Hammers should think twice about making a move for him.

The east Londoners have backed Lopetegui in the transfer market and that shows their ambition to break into the Premier League’s top six.

The post West Ham set to land two signings in the same week appeared first on CaughtOffside.