West Ham manager David Moyes has emphasized the need for the club to sell players before they can make any new signings in January. Winger Said Benrahma is rumored to be at the top of the potential departures list, with Moyes confirming that the club turned down a loan offer from Marseille earlier in the week.
Moyes is staying quiet about the possibility of bringing in Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, while also being linked with Sunderland’s Jack Clarke. However, the focus for now is on permanent player departures.
Moyes explained, “We stated from the beginning that we wanted to offload some players before bringing new ones in. Our budget is limited for this window, and the transfer activity is slow for various reasons. At this point, we need to sell in order to make room for new signings. It looks like we will be focusing on selling rather than loaning players out.”
Benrahma’s three-match ban after a red card in the FA Cup defeat to Bristol City means he will miss the upcoming game against Sheffield United. Moyes has no plans to discuss the dismissal with the Algerian and has stated that the suspension will not influence his decision to stay or leave the club.
However, Moyes acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding the future of certain squad members could have an impact on the team’s morale. “It could be a factor, but a lot of the noise is just rumors and incorrect information. I see a lot of speculation that is not accurate. Maybe the players are hearing different things from other sources, but until I receive definitive information from the owners or the club’s management, I have to assume that there are no imminent changes.”
