West Ham United resumed Premier League action today with a 1-1 draw at Swansea City, still high on confidence from a productive month of December.
The Hammers are still well in the hint for European qualification, currently occupying seventh place in the Premier League – just a point behind Arsenal.
Sam Allardyce has worked wonders in the first half of the season to win around a fanbase that doubted him last season, with his work in the transfer market in the summer proving the key to his success.
The likes of Alex Song, Aaron Cresswell, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have all settled into life at Upton Park immediately whilst even Andy Carroll has managed a run of games performing consistently without getting injured.
With the Hammers in a position perhaps not even the most confident of supporters could have imagined in the summer, it will be interesting to see if Allardyce gets backed with further funds this January to launch an assault on those European places.
Rumours suggest he may, although some of the players being linked with a switch to Upton Park seem somewhat far-fetched.
Here we have gone through the rumours and identified five West Ham United rumours that WON’T happen this month.
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Click on Sam Allardyce to reveal 5 West Ham United rumours that WON’T happen this month.
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Mario Suarez
The Spaniard was a key part of the Atletico Madrid side that won La Liga against the odds last season. Suarez is an impressive defensive midfielder who has improved a huge amount under the guidance of Diego Simeone.
Atletico sold too many of their big names in the summer however and will surely not be looking to offload an important player at the midway point of the season.
Arsenal have also been strongly linked with Suarez in recent weeks and would surely be the favourites for his signature ahead of the Hammers should Atletico decide they want to sell given their record of Champions League qualification.
Tyrone Mings
One of West Ham’s most impressive signings of the season has been Aaron Cresswell, a young defender signed from Ipswich Town in the summer. Given their success with that deal, some reports claim the Hammers are looking at another Tractor Boys youngster in Tyrone Mings.
The centre back is one of the most highly-rated young players in the Championship but with Ipswich currently fighting for promotion, the £10 million price tag they have placed on him, not to mention interest from Arsenal and Chelsea, this is a deal we can’t see West Ham completing.
Andre Ayew
The Ghana international is eager to leave Marseille this month and has been linked with a move to West Ham amongst other Premier League clubs.
Ayew was one of the stars of Ghana’s 2014 World Cup campaign and can play either as a central striker or out wide in the exact same position as both Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho in fact.
Allardyce surely won’t be looking to part with more money for a player in a similar mould whilst Ayew will be looking for a club that can assure him of regular first team football – something West Ham cannot do at present.
Jermain Defoe
Jermain Defoe has been scoring goals for fun in the MLS but now wants a return to the Premier League. Current club Toronto FC re keen on parting with him permanently for a £6 million fee whilst the Hammers have only been linked with a loan move.
This seems unlikely given Toronto’s desire for cash as well as the fact West Ham boast strikers who are enjoying decent goal returns for the season already.
Defoe is also not popular amongst a large section of the West Ham fanbase having defected to bitter rivals Tottenham for so long.
Fredy Guarin
Inter Milan’s Colombian midfielder has been linked with a different Premier League club in each of the last four transfer windows.
Now reports suggest the Hammers are looking at Guarin, however this seems unlikely given the way in which summer signings Alex Song and Cheikhou Kouyate have settled at Upton Park.
Gaurin would cost a minimum of £10 million to bring to England and West Ham simply do not need him at this moment in time.
