West Ham need to sell before getting Soler power

Jacob Steinberg in the Guardian reports that the Hammers are now after midfielder Carlos Soler of Paris Saint Germain, but must first sell before they can buy to keep within the FA profit and sustainability rules. 

Kurt Zouma is one obvious player on big wages the Irons have been trying to sell but any move to UAE depends on him passing a fitness test or coming to a pay-as-you play deal. Danny Ings has spent a season and a half mainly on the bench and is another player the Hammers could unload. Despite several serious injuries his career goalscoring record would surely attract some suitors despite only three league goals for West Ham. The problem is that Ings in on big money so a loan deal might be more likely, with the club subsidising some of his wages.

Maxwel Cornet is another player the club wants to shift. He scored some fantastic volleys for Burnley, but his career has gone badly awry at West Ham after his early injury two seasons ago. Maxi is said to be on £65k a week so again might be difficult to sell if he wants to see out his contract.

Nayef Aguerd is also up for sale, though in my opinion it would be a mistake to sell him. He might have made a few mistakes but Nayef played in the Europa Conference winning side and has a cultured left foot. Should WHU write off a £30 million signing and star for Morocco so quickly? Mavropanos also makes errors, but looks to be part of J-Lo's plans.

The other possible sale mentioned by Steinberg is Michail Antonio. It would be sad to lose Micky after his goals, celebrations and of course crashing a car while dressed as a snowman have left us so entertained over the years. He could still do a job as an impact sub, though his physicality would certainly appeal to some of the newer Premier League clubs or a Championship side.

It would be a mistake to become like Chelsea and just buy players because they're available. If WHU can't shift any of the above then it might have been better to keep George Earthy rather than loan him out to Bristol City for the season. As it is the club still have Paqueta (if he's not suspended), Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez and Alvarez as options in central midfield, with youngsters Potts and Orford also worth looking at. Whatever happens, the days before the window closes on August 30 should prove interesting.