The Player Who Should be Top of Our January Transfer List - and he wants to PLAY for West Ham!

Still ridiculous!

For many Hammers fans the image of James Tomkins playing in Crystal Palace colours is simply repulsive. Even worse, his fine form for the Eagles since his shock Summer move from his boyhood club has only served to further emphasise how poorly West Ham did in the Summer transfer lottery.

At the core of West Ham's problems is the lack of stability in defence. What we would give for a defender who can play in the centre or at right back and who has positional sense and tackling as his main attributes. Tonks may not be so great at flying down the wing but he proved last year that he brings stability and cohesion to the defence. His versatility would also allow for consistency in defensive personnel.

Having now established himself at the heart of the Palace defence, Tonks is now weighing in with goals - three already this season which, as Hammers fans know, is more than our six strikers have managed all season!

Tomkins allegedly departed because the club couldn't guarantee him a starting spot - ironically, our injury problems have meant that he would have played in the vast majority of our games to date! At £10 million the club imagined they were getting a decent deal. Now we are constantly rumoured to be in the market for another centre back - at what price one wonders?

And then there's the identity issue - letting one of our dyed in the wool Hammers leave was truly bonkers as we faced an identity-testing move to a new stadium. Superslav says we lack dedication and intensity - hardly attributes that Tomkins could ever be accused of lacking.

While some might suggest that Tomkins would be unlikely to move back so soon, here's one Hammer who suspects that it's part of his long-term plan and with all the nonsense these days with agent, we all know that a player who wants to leave will depart no matter what their contract says.

Sadly, Hammers fans are likely to embrace that reality in the near future in respect of Mr Payet.

So, it's time to beak the news to Palace that we want our boomerang back, and soon!