Speaking on Match of the Day following our 3-2 win over West Ham, NUFC legend Alan Shearer has admitted that Rafa Benitez had both Javier Hernandez and Tammy Abraham ‘ready to come in’ over the summer – only for those deals to be pulled at the ‘last minute’.
Shearer also explained after that this was why the club then scrambled to sign a striker in the final 10 days of the summer window, with us seemingly having little other option but to sign Stoke’s 3rd choice Spaniard Joselu as a result.
We knew that Abraham was a player who looked close to arriving on loan over the summer, but it was a real surprise to hear Shearer admit that Javier Hernandez was ‘ready’ to sign at St James’ Park – the Mexican striker who signed for joined West Ham for £16m over the summer.
Here’s what he said on BBC’s Match of the Day last night:
"He's doing a very, very good job. It was always going to be a struggle."
Has Benitez ever been under threat?#MOTD pic.twitter.com/RkHBH8DIPy
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 23, 2017
“He wanted to bring players in.
“I know he had Javier Hernandez and Tammy Abraham ready to come in.
“Those deals were pulled at the last minute which is why, with 10 days or so to go, he had to spend £5m on Joselu to bring another body in.”
Intriguing stuff and further proof of what Benitez was dealing with over the summer – no wonder he was so frustrated!
Hernandez was a player I and several other fans were keen to see us look at over the summer and it seems we were actually very close to signing him if Shearer’s comments are to be believed.
As it turns out, spells on the bench and a hamstring injury have seen him see little first team action for several weeks at West Ham, but he’s still a player I’d have been more than happy to have had at the club over the summer.
Both he and Abraham have a total of 9 goals to their name so far this season for their new clubs.
What do you make of this folks?
