"Why didn't we sign him" – Tony Cottee slams West Ham for failing to bolster one particular position
Today at 04:04 PM
Former England striker Tony Cottee has expressed his disappointment over West Ham United's failure to sign Aaron Ramsdale during the summer transfer window, instead choosing to stick with their current goalkeepers.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Cottee has aimed criticism at West Ham's technical director, Tim Steidten, for missing the chance to bolster the club's goalkeeper position by not securing Ramsdale, who joined Southampton last month for £25 million.
Cottee suggested that Ramsdale would have been a much better option for the Hammers. His concerns focused on West Ham's current keepers, particularly Alphonse Areola.
While Cottee acknowledged Areola's strong shot-stopping skills, he questioned his ability to command the penalty area and his overall distribution.
The criticism also extended to veteran goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański, with Cottee labelling both Areola and Fabiański as better suited for backup roles rather than being the club's first-choice options.
Areola, who signed permanently with West Ham in 2022 after a loan from PSG, has had notable performances, including his role in West Ham's Europa Conference League triumph. However, Cottee is unconvinced that Areola is the long-term answer for the club.
Fabiański, at the club since 2018, has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, raising doubts about his continued reliability.
The 59-year-old pundit stated:
"Aaron Ramsdale has gone to Southampton – why didn't we sign him?
"In my opinion, Fabianski and Areola are number twos. Areola is a good shot-stopper, but he doesn't command the box – I don't know if there's a language barrier – but then his distribution is not good enough. They need to change the keeper."
West Ham were one of the busiest clubs in the transfer market, spending over £100m on 14 new arrivals.
Despite that, they have made a poor start to the new season, losing 4 out of their first 5 Premier League games.
They have also been knocked out of the League Cup, after losing 5-1 to Liverpool last night.
The post “Why didn’t we sign him” – Tony Cottee slams West Ham for failing to bolster one particular position appeared first on CaughtOffside.
