Following on from Friday's story that West Ham were set to sign Shaun Wright-Phillips from Chelsea in the January transfer market, Stuart Pearce was today saying that if things fell into place then he would be keen to bring Wright-Phillips back to the club:

"If a price was set and Chelsea were prepared to sell
him, just think what a big lift it would give everyone here for Shaun to walk
back through the door."
"You would have to go some to have a combination of
Shaun and Micah (Richards) playing on the same side of the pitch".

Assuming he is to be sold by Chelsea (and indications are that this is likely), then I still have doubts that he would return to the club. Firstly, we have to find the money (around £10million) to finance the transfer, agree on a wage which has increased greatly since his move to Chelsea and if those obstacles were overcome we would still have the problem of whether he want to return.

I believe that Wright-Phillips would not see the move as a positve one, given that there would the element of coming back having 'failed' at Chelsea and there is also the fact that his brother Bradley is no longer at the club, which may well have been a factor in encouraging a return.

If Chelsea do sell, for me West Ham are in pole position to clinch a deal on all fronts and think in all honesty that would be Wright-Phillips preferred destination. Chelsea and West Ham have some history in the transfer market (with Cole, Lampard and Johnson having moved to Stamford Bridge) so this could also help smooth things through also.

It would be fantastic to have Wright-Phillips back at the club and I may be proved wrong, but if he does move from Chelsea in January (or next summer) I cannot see it ending in a return to the City of Manchester Stadium.