Rumour Mill: Arsenal and Manchester United in for West Ham’s Reo-Coker
Speculation for an idle Sunday? According to rumours, both Arsenal and Manchester United are interested in signing West Ham captain Nigel Reo-Coker before the transfer window shuts on Friday.
The story doesn’t sound right because it would mean that Manchester United have given up on Hargreaves and that Arsenal, who have recently been linked with Mascherano, have given up on him as well.
Both clubs have other targets lined up to fill the midfield spot and with no links to Reo-Coker for the whole summer, any move would strike of desperation and lack of preparation - something you don’t expect from either Manchester United or Arsenal.
Arsenal’s Interest
Arsenal need to add numbers and quality to their central midfield, and Reo-Coker would represent just the sort of young untapped talent that Wenger pursues. Plus the West Ham captain would also be a cheaper alternative to Mascherano, and his experience in the Premiership would count for him as well.
Wenger has said that he has the funds necessary to buy, and from the long delay Arsenal have made in signing players it seems like they are after one or two key targets and will be able to sign someone significant right at the death of the transfer season. Still, the delay in Cole’s sale to Chelsea is holding up funds that could allow Arsenal to bring in even more players and strengthen the squad further.
Could Reo-Coker be a short-term, low-priced solution? Doesn’t sound like Wenger or Arsenal.
Manchester United’s Interest
Manchester United’s midfield problems are well documented, and were made glaringly obvious in the Watford vs Manchester United match where Fletcher’s anonymous performance in midfield meant that Ferguson can only rely on Carrick, Scholes, O’Shea and Giggs in that position. The fact that Giggs is better suited to the left-wing (where he has been in excellent form this season) and that O’Shea will be needed in defence this year means that United are woefully short of a defensive midfielder, hence Ferguson’s pursuit of Hargreaves.
Manchester United are also monitoring Kristofer Haestad, although keeping in tune with Ferguson’s purchase of Carrick it would seem that Man Utd are more interested in signing players who have experience in English conditions and Reo-Coker would fit the bill.
Then again, Kevin Nolan can play in that position as well (and is more experienced) so he could be an option as well.
West Ham’s position
Reo-Coker was key figure in West Ham’s return to the Premiership and run to last season’s FA Cup Final, and it doubtful that West Ham would allow their captain to leave. However, rumours are that Reo-Coker has a clause in his contract at Upton Park stipulating that he can leave if any of the clubs finishing in the top three places in the Premiership the previous season come in for him.
That would open the door to an approach from Manchester United (but not Arsenal).
So, what do you think? Will West Ham sell their captain? And will Manchester United and Arsenal drop their foreign pursuits and go after Reo-Coker?
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That sounds really strange, especially now, when Bayer have purchased Van-Bommel. I thought that once that move is complete, Hargreaves can finally arrive at Old Trafford.
But anyway, that Reo-Cocker guy is a very good player, and a leader. And all that in his young age. So he might be a decent replacement for Keane.
nope, we’ll only go for the established players cause we already have unproven talents.for the CM spot we’ve jones and gibson. and we’ve others like martin, evans, pique, bardsley, rossi and even richardson. why buy reo-coker when we’ve made 22+ m from ruud and mikel, and spent only 14?
that means we’ve 8-9m(including the 6m we get from mikel next yr) and around 20-30m which is our yearly budget anyway.
we can buy hargreaves and an established striker if we want, though i suspect an other midfielder will be our last signing.
perif, you’re probably right, but if the Hargreaves deal fails, Reo-Cocker might be good a backup plan.
And about a striker - I think that MU have to sign another forward, though there are no indications they are looking for one, instead of Tevez. (Who probably goes to Chelsea anyway)
i was a big fan of reo-coker last season and thought he was immense for west ham. i couldnt believe at least one of the top four didnt show some interest in him over the summer and i think it would be a great move for united. although he may lack european experience he ticks every other box for me and i would be delighted to see him come to old trafford. we could have done with him yesterday.
Men, you are a bit obsessed with Fletcher here at Soccerlens. He was not bad against Watford, worked tirelessly throughout the game, we can rely on him. And why should O’Shea be needed in defence? Evra, Heinze, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Vidic, Gary, Brown: more than enough cover for the backline.
Reo-Coker would be a good signing though I still hope we manage to get Hargreaves.
if you watched pool’s game, NRK is a gerrard for westham. he’s a leader, a battler, and CERTAINLY BETTER PLAYER THAN OWEN HAGREAVES! tevez and NRK conclude a good transfer window
And what about NRK and Trezeguet?
Ryan i dont know what you talking about. fletcher is the worst player who played for united in the last 10 years. I thing that Fergeson keep him on the team because he came from scotland. i also think that fletcher was the reason that united fail to go qualify to the last 16 at the champions league last year. he loses to many balls meybe as a winger he can play, meybe not.
Fletcher has more bad days, than he has good, and on his good days, he is worthy of his place in the united sqaud. We are being linked with trezequet which is the worst rumour of the summer being linked with us because he is no way consistant enough. I think Torres is out of the equation, and Tevez, well, it doesnt sound like we are in negotiations with him. The Sale of Martins to Newcastle has ruled out the signing of Adriano so are options are limited. If we were to sign Hargreaves it will be near the 17 million mark, although i would expect the Reo-coker transfer to be around that mark as West Ham would want has much as they can get.
Reo-Coker doesn’t have the footballing intellect to ever become a top-class player. He’s also deceptively slow.
That’s what Real Madrid said about Makelele.
Perez of Real Madrid (2003).
“We will not miss Makelele. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and ninety percent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways.”
I wouldn’t disagree with anything in that statement. He’s not the most talented player on the ball. He does read the defensive game outstandingly, and is the best at closing down space and breaking up build up play in the world at the moment. Real were blind to his defensive abilities because they wanted a more attacking defensive midfielder.
(The ‘lack of technique’ comment is interesting. He doesn’t go past people and turn players inside out, he doesn’t send probing balls out to the wings. He plays a similar role to Gattuso, who I also admire hugely) If Perez was worth listening to, he would have bought Ronaldinho when given the opportunity, instead of Cash-cow Beckham.
I am not an arrogant, money driven spaniard justifying my ‘galactico’ club’s reason for refusing a world cup winning defensive midfielder an increased contract and selling him. (Viera knew he would never get the money and respect he deserved at Real, hence why he never chose to join them)
I am stating my opinion on the internet about a recently promoted team’s defensive midfielder who can’t get into the England set-up because Hargreaves, Carrick and even Phil Neville are held in higher esteem than him.
Reo Coker is a good midfielder (one of my favourites in the premiership) but right now, he doesn’t look like he can ever reach the heights that Gerrard and Lampard have, or for that matter Viera and Makelele. Makelele is played in a role that suits his strenghts, Reo Coker is used in the Lampard role when he should be sitting back playing the Makalele role.
This is on recent form, he might just be unfit or carrying a knock or something, because I don’t remember noticing such a severe lack of mobility and pace last season. That is either down to physical limitations, or down to a lack of mental sharpness.
(Either way, after a summer break, he shouldn’t be showing signs of either limitation)
Thanks for you input though Rocky, it was so relevant.
So you’re saying that he’s never going to be a top class player because he’s not being played in the right position?
But then if he’s employed regularly in the defensive midfield role, who knows what he can do. That is exactly the position Man United or Arsenal would play him in should they acquire his services. Considering his youth and the fact that he’s just spent one year player in the top division, I think it’s a bit early to terms his prospects as mediocre and not top class. His best is yet to come, and still, he’s just as good as Senna (at the very least).
Your damnation of Reo-Coker as intellectually challenged for football rang the same bell as Perez on Makelele. Nothing personal, I just think you’re calling time on him too soon.
Exactly.
Rocky, why ask if my only explanation for my pessimism in regard to Reo Coker becoming a world class player is the fact he’s being played out of position when I mentioned several other damning factors.
1. Carrick, Hargreaves and Neville are held in higher esteem and assumedly the former two will continue to be unless McClaren re-shapes the team (he’s only slightly younger than them).
2. I said he was good, I said I like him as a player and he’s one of my favourite premiership midfielders. I said I don’t think he will it to Viera’s, Makalele’s or Gerrard’s standard… Not that he won’t be top class. There are other top class midfielders who aren’t held in such high esteem as Viera, Makelele and Gerrard. You have to be inhuman to reach that standard in reality. Maybe if he joins Man Utd he can reach those heights.
3. I dont think he’s slow in running terms, i think he’s a little bit cumbersome at times. (you need footballing intellect as well as good running ability) He’s quite similar to Scotty Parker, despite the talent, he doesn’t seem to read the game as well as someone with his talent should. You can appear slow in sprinting and still be a great player if you read the game well enough, perhaps Reo-Coker will eventually develop his understanding of the game to the point where his slight lack of pace isn’t an issue.
4. I like putting numbers before my points. It’s fun.
5. Perez doubted Makelele’s pace and ability to beat players and play Madrid style attacking football, not his value as a defensive midfielder who breaks up play. I guess I can understand what you mean by comparing my comment with that, but let’s face it, I made alot of concessions in the end that proved I do value the good things about Coker’s game and that I think he will be a great player. I just don’t reckon he’ll be a Viera or a Maka!
You’ve got to admit you were trying to be a bit of an arse comparing the most short sited statement in footballing history (undermining makelele’s importance) to my comments about an unproven young midfielder who hasn’t shown any real signs of being the next big thing. There are a number of young midfielders with similar qualities who are held in higher regard. At that time, there weren’t a huge number of defensive midfielders plying their trade as lynchpins of teams (Keane and Viera were though). Today most teams employ a defensive midfielder and therefore Coker will be judged more harshly.
You know what I mean, it was a bit unfair.