The transfer window slammed shut on Tuesday night, and both Edson Alvarez and Songoutou Magassa remained at the club. 

It was rumoured at the start of the window that the Hammers wanted to keep both Magassa and Alvarez. However, it was known pretty early that the latter wanted to leave.

After links with the likes of Real Sociedad and his former club Ajax, it didn’t look like a move was going to happen, and he was back in the fold. He reportedly made up with Nuno, and the Mexican started the opening game of the season despite not appearing in pre-season.

He didn’t play too badly, and we were all excited to see what a player of his calibre and experience could do in the second tier. But then we didn’t see him again after that; he decided again that he wanted to move and even reportedly refused to play.

With the transfer window still open in some countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Netherlands, and the UAE, where he has also been linked. A move away is still very possible, and I’d say likely.

As for Magassa, he didn’t play in pre-season because he was injured; however, he seemed happy to stay with us in the second tier until a couple of weeks ago, when the rumours started.

He was reportedly an option for Crystal Palace earlier in the window, but nothing came of it. He was subject to a couple of loan offers on deadline day, according to reports; a straight loan to Sevilla was refused, as well as a loan with a €17 million obligation to buy from Bologna.

Even though we have a surplus of options in midfield- seven for just two central midfield positions- I think the decision to reject these offers for the Frenchman was right.

Magassa is an out-and-out defensive midfielder, and other than Alvarez, who clearly has no intention of sticking around, we don’t have any others; also, he’s younger and probably the better player right now.

Recent reports suggest Magassa has apologised to the Hammers board and his teammates for trying to get a move away from the club and has requested to be allowed back into Nuno’s squad.

Whether he’s still happy to be here or not remains to be seen, but I read this as: he didn’t get a move to a top 5 league, and now that’s no longer an option, he’s happy to stay- not ideal, but he should be a god asset to have in the Championship.

One player who wouldn’t be against a move to a country where the window is still open is Alvarez. Hopefully, now that Magassa has ‘committed’ his future to the club, we can find a move for the Mexico captain.

We need to get the negative characters like Alvarez out of the football club as soon as we can.