In-the-know podcaster @ExWHUemployee has provided an update on the contracts that West Ham United are currently weighing up renewing.
Currently, as many as six players in the Hammers’ first-team squad are on permanent contracts which are set to expire next summer (per Transfermarkt).
Those players are Lukasz Fabianski, David Martin, Fabian Balbuena, Mark Noble, Robert Snodgrass and Michail Antonio.
It is also understood by The Athletic that the Irons want to offer a new deal to Declan Rice and aside from player contracts, David Moyes’ deal is set to expire next summer.
During the latest episode of The West Ham Way Podcast, @ExWHUemployee discussed the latest regarding the West Ham hierarchy’s thoughts on renewing contracts. (39:04)
He said: “I’m being told new contracts are now being weighed up firstly for David Moyes but also for players that are out of contract in the summer. Like Antonio, Noble, Balbuena, Fabianski.
“David Martin and Robert Snodgrass are also out of contract but, at this point, I would say they are probably unlikely to get an extension. Certainly, it’s not decided.
“They’re weighing up the options of all of them and then, obviously, there’s a possibility of trying to offer Declan Rice a new deal as well to convince him to stay.”
TIF Thoughts on what @ExWHUemployee said about contract renewals…
As can be seen in what the West Ham insider said, he believes that the Hammers are “weighing up” contract renewals and a new contract for Moyes would seemingly be first on the agenda.
Of these four people, who's contract should West Ham be looking at renewing first?
Rice
Moyes
Antonio
Balbuena
Looking at the players’ average ratings in the Premier League from this season, Antonio should be the first player that the club looks at to extend his deal.
He has been the Irons’ second-best-performing player in the top flight with an impressive 7.12/10 average rating and Balbuena is not far behind with a 7.03/10 (per WhoScored).
Meanwhile, Snodgrass has been the club’s worst player with a 6.00/10 and Noble is the joint-second worst on a 6.06/10, while Martin has not featured for West Ham this term.
So, perhaps it would be understandable if those three players were released by the Irons in the summer.