West Ham Eye Big Wages to Lure Free Transfer

West Ham United are contemplating a bold move for veteran defender Mats Hummels, but it could come at a cost to their wage structure, according to a report from the West Ham Zone.

The Hammers have reportedly held talks with Hummels’ representatives after his Borussia Dortmund contract expired. A free transfer is on the table, making a move financially attractive for West Ham.

While the lack of a transfer fee sweetens the deal, there is a suggestion that West Ham might need to offer Hummels a salary exceeding their current pay structure to secure him.

West Ham’s total wage bill is estimated to be around £110 million annually:
This translates to an average salary of roughly £4.3 million per year or £84,000 per week for a squad of 25 players. So to be considered a top earner at West Ham, Hummels would likely require a salary closer to £100,000 per week.

The free transfer is financially appealing, but high wages for Hummels could cause friction within the squad if other players feel their salaries are out of sync.

But with potentially other high earners leaving the club, Hummels’ arrival might not disrupt the wage structure as much as initially perceived.

As West Ham are looking to bolster their defence, Hummels’ experience could be invaluable what with the uncertain futures of Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd.

But he is now in the veteran stage of his career (35 years old) and he must be seen as a short term fix