Andy Irving has spent much of his time in the Premier League with West Ham United stuck on the fringes.
On the fringes of Graham Potter’s first-team. And on the fringes of discussions surrounding the transfer market too.
Yet, while Freddie Potts’ relative lack of involvement at the beginning of the new campaign has sparked much confusion amongst a frustrated West Ham United fanbase, Andy Irving is another pre-season performer who may be feeling a little hard done by.
Potts made his Premier League debut as a half-time substitute during Friday’s 5-1 drubbing by Chelsea. Just four days later, he was back on the bench as Jorgen Strand Larsen’s late brace fired Wolves into the Carabao Cup third round.
Potts’ tally of 45 minutes still dwarves Irving’s measly return of eight, however.
Few would begrudge the seldom-seen Scotland international if he seizes the chance to escape his London Stadium purgatory over the next few days, then. Alex Neil’s Millwall, Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic and Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham all dangling escape ropes.
Phil Parkinson confirms Wrexham midfielder plan with West Ham United’s Andy Irving a target
Alan Nixon reported via his official Patreon page this week that Millwall are considering a move to take Irving across the capital.
West Ham have rejected a bid from Celtic, telling the Scottish Premiership champions that the Edinburgh-born Hearts graduate is valued at £3.5 million.
Hammers News can also confirm that, while he is understood to prefer a move to one of the Old Firm, ambitious, deep-pocketed Wrexham have held talks with Andy Irving in recent times.
Now, the highly-experienced Parkinson made no mention of Irving during his press conference on Thursday. But the former Sunderland, Bolton and Charlton Athletic manager did confirm that Wrexham hope to sign at least one midfielder before the window closes on Monday, with Rennes’ Wales international Jordan James another of the names under consideration.
“[James] a player we’ve looked at. I know him from his time at Birmingham as well, and followed his progress in the Welsh team and Rennes,” Parkinson tells BBC Sport Wales.
“Obviously, [he is] a good player, but he’s just one of a lot of players we’ve looked at over the last month or so.
Parkinson is keen to point to that ‘nothing [is] imminent’ right now regarding Wrexham’s pursuit of midfield reinforcements. But, with only four days left, expect developments to come thick and fast if the Championship newcomers lure James back across the Channel or meet West Ham’s asking price.
Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa arriving as Irving slips further adrift
Few footballers can boast a more unique journey to England’s top flight.
By his own admission, West Ham was an opportunity Andy Irving couldn’t reject, having spent time in Germany’s third-tier and Austria’s first with Turkgucu Munchen and Austria Klagenfurt.
A tidy, technically-gifted, left-footed central midfielder, Irving has made only eleven Premier League appearances and one start since putting pen to paper in the summer of 2023 however. He is destined to fall even further down the pecking order in the near future too.
West Ham will sign Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa despite rival interest from Nottingham Forest, AS Roma and Eintracht Frankfurt. Mateus Fernandes will soon be at Graham Potter’s disposal, too.
Head coach Will Still confirmed Fernandes’ impending Southampton exit only a few hours ago.
