Moyes confirms failed West Ham defender bid while dismissing Antonio exit talk

Date published: Friday 13th January 2023 2:29 - News Desk

Craig Dawson scores from a corner

West Ham boss David Moyes has revealed the club have received an offer from Wolves for defender Craig Dawson but have not accepted it.

The 32-year-old Rochdale-born centre-half is understood to be keen on a move north.

Dawson was linked with Wanderers – who West Ham face on Saturday – in the summer but a transfer failed to materialise.

“We’ve had an offer from Wolves, we’ve not accepted it and that’s as much as I can tell you,” said Moyes.

Moyes does have plenty of cover at centre-half with Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Thilo Kehrer also on the books.

“We’re pretty well covered at the minute,” he added. “We’re not planning anything just yet, I am telling you that we’ve had an offer.”

Striker Michail Antonio has also been linked with a move from the London Stadium this month.

But Moyes added: “I don’t know where that’s come from. He’s got a couple of years on his contract so he will be staying for a while.”

As for incomings, Moyes admits a deal for Sevilla’s Morocco forward Youssef En-Nesyri looks unlikely.

“We’ve been looking at him for a few years. I don’t think he will be a West Ham player,” he said.

West Ham will find themselves in the relegation zone if they lose at Molineux, a far cry from their sixth and seventh-placed finishes over the last two seasons, and Moyes knows where the problem lies.

“There’s been very little fluctuation from this year to last year,” he said.

“We opened last season in really good form, this pre-season we didn’t do that, we missed big chances and it continued into the season.

“Whether it was penalty kicks or scoring goals, we just couldn’t get it. That’s the biggest department where we’ve not achieved and we need to get back to it.

“I think we’ve got six games in January and five away from home. It’s very rare you’ve got so many away games. We’ve got a bundle of games away from home. Hopefully we can keep picking up points if we can.”

The former Everton boss was asked about the similarities between the two clubs and said: “It quite often happens. You see teams winning the Premier League are not able to do it back to back. Clubs like ourselves and Everton, it can take time, sometimes it happens. The following season can be really hard.”

Moyes should have Italian frontman Gianluca Scamacca back from injury, but defender Zouma is short of fitness following minor knee surgery.

Big Weekend: Manchester derby, Tottenham v Arsenal, Frank Lampard, Mitrovic back in Toon

More Related Articles