As the sale of Crysencio Summerville edges closer, could West Ham United really have lost out on a further £20 million from the seemingly Roma-bound winger?
Andrea Radrizzani, the former Leeds chairman who ruled the roost at Elland Road when Summerville arrived in a £1.3 million deal from Feyenoord six years ago, certainly thinks so.
“Crysencio Summerville has extraordinary technical and physical qualities,” Radrizzani tells Rete Sport.
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“He’s improved his physicality playing in England. He had a physical problem in his first year at West Ham but, upon his return, he was one of the few players to survive a very difficult season. He tried to save the team, along with two or three other players.
“The Premier League is going through a phase of its own. It’s a league that’s now operating on a different economic scale. If he’d had a better season, he’d be valued at 70 – 80 million euros.”
Hammers News can reveal that West Ham expect to sell Summerville within the next 72 hours or so.
Long-time admirers Roma have not triggered the £50 million release clause in the Dutchman’s contract. But the nature of their most recent offers means that, with add-ons and bonuses included, West Ham United could still cross the £50 million threshold while making a sizeable profit on a player who joined just two summers’ ago for £20 million less.
Yet, Radrizzani can envisage a world in which the Hammers would be about to bank closer to £70 million. There are, however, a few obvious reason why Summerville is destined to fall some way short of a truly eye-watering fee.
Crysencio Summerville’s West Ham United career has been littered with injuries
As Radrizzani himself pointed out, Summerville has faced a few injury issues at West Ham.
He missed seven Premier League matches in 2025/26. The Hammers failed to win any of them. In his debut season, Summerville spent half the campaign on the treatment table thanks to a serious hamstring problem.
Compare that to the record of Mateus Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder played 36 Premier League games last season compared to Summerville’s 31, in addition to nearly 6,000 more minutes. Tottenham paid £85 million for Fernandes because of his obvious quality and potential, but also for his durability.
They say the best ability is availability. This, though, has been a problem throughout Summerville’s short-lived West Ham career.
Summerville’s release clause meant no repeat of Mateus Fernandes money
Hammers News revealed at the beginning of July that Summerville has a £50 million release clause in his West Ham contract. One that became active following their relegation from the Premier League.
Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has increased his influence and increased the Hammers’ financial strength since the departure of David Sullivan. He has also made it clear that the Londoners will not be bullied into selling key players for lowball fees, regardless of their new-found status as a Championship club.
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Kretinsky’s deep-pockets and grand ambitions go a long way to explaining why West Ham did not cave into Manchester United’s hands when the Red Devils tried to nab Fernandes below their asking price.
Though Fernandes, of course, never had a relegation clause in his contract. The same can not be said of Summerville.
It is not hard to imagine that, having already banked £85 million and because they are no longer under any financial pressure to cash in, West Ham would have adopted a similarly hard-line stance with Summerville. Perhaps Kretinsky would have held out for a fee in the region of £70 million after all…
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No bidding war as Manchester United re-integrate Marcus Rashford
Hammers News also revealed a few weeks back that Manchester United was Summerville’s dream destination. Of course, the same was said of Fernandes at the start of June. While the Red Devils eventually opted against matching Tottenham’s £85 million bid, the lack of movement from Old Trafford regarding Summerville is largely a result of the Marcus Rashford situation.
Man United always needed to move Rashford on before they could consider signing another left-winger.
Now, it appears that Rashford will be reintegrated into Michael Carrick’s plans, with United expected to go all-in on a top-quality left full-back instead.
In the meantime, Arsenal removed their hat from the ring by agreeing a £34 million deal with Club Brugge for Christos Tzolis. Liverpool signed Victor Munoz from Osasuna from under Newcastle’s nose. PSG were never likely to make a move with Bradley Barcola still at the Parc des Princes. Tottenham seem to be prioritising a right-sided attacker in the shape of Manchester City’s Savinho.
And for all his talent, he did also provide only five goals and two assists in the Premier League last season. Hardly numbers that will get elite-level clubs throwing their wallets on the table.
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This is a long-winded way of saying that Summerville’s availability simply didn’t spark the sort of bidding war West Ham may have been hoping for.
It is not unheard of for clubs to go above and beyond a player’s release clause; the price driven up by multiple offers.
If United and PSG had managed to shift Rashford and Barcola, if Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham had other priorities, Summerville’s fee may have soared above the £50 million mark.
Instead, Roma appear to be the only club putting serious offers on West Ham’s table. Though a late approach from Aston Villa or Fulham – both of whom have been linked – could provide an eleventh-hour twist.
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