Graham Potter’s West Ham United are not the only club, it seems, putting emphasis on athleticism during the Premier League’s off-season.
If reports are to be believed, Graham Potter rejected the chance to sign Martin Baturina from Dinamo Zagreb.
While labelled the ‘next Luka Modric’ back home and possessing natural talent by the bucketload, Potter allegedly wants a midfielder with greater physicality this summer. Croatia international Baturina is in talks with Como now instead, while West Ham hone in on Raphael Onyedika.
The £20 million-rated Nigerian is a leading target for a West Ham United planning a much-needed midfield overhaul. If Potter felt that the stylish but lightweight Dinamo star lacks the physical profile he is looking for, such concerns can be quickly dispelled when it comes to Onyedika.
Over in Turkey, meanwhile, former London Stadium left-back Arthur Masuaku may be about to suffer the same fate as Baturina. Snubbed by a club looking for more dynamism than the DR Congo veteran is capable of providing.
Former West Ham United ace Arthur Masuaku faces Besiktas exit
Turkish giants Besiktas signed Arthur Masuaku from West Ham after an initial loan spell back in 2023.
The former Olympiakos flyer has gone on to make over 100 appearances in Istanbul, winning both the Turkish Cup and Turkey’s equivalent of the Community Shield.
A 31-year-old Masuaku is due to become a free-agent at the end of this month, however. And while West Ham moved on Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell and Lukasz Fabianski, plus seldom-seen striker Danny Ings, in an attempt to construct a younger, quicker squad, Besiktas appear to be adopting a similar approach.
“We have put Masuaku on hold regarding the contract renewal,” president Serdal Adali informs Eagle Media. “We are looking for more dynamic players to replace him.
“If [we cannot find a suitable replacement], we will sit at the table with Masuaku.”
Lazio-linked Emerson Palmieri could suffer the same fate as Masuaku
With a career-best 10 assists from 47 games last season from left-back, Masuaku clearly still provides plenty of threat in the final third.
Africa Foot report that, if Besiktas opt against green-lighting an extension, the two-time Greek Super League winner could head out to Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal.
While West Ham targets Kevin Lomonaco and Valentin ‘Taty’ Castellanos snubbed Middle Eastern advances alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Victor Osimhen, Masuaku is open to pursuing a new challenge in a fifth different country.
Al-Hilal finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season with a squad containing Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Joao Cancelo and Aleksandr Mitrovic.
Fulham icon Mitrovic was linked with West Ham last week. If the one-time Craven Cottage hero does return to London over the coming weeks or months, he is unlikely to be greeted by the smiling face of Emerson Palmieri.
Emerson fell out of favour under Graham Potter following the sacking of Julen Lopetegui. Masuaku’s fellow left-back may also be made available, with reports from Italy suggesting Lazio are keen to take the ex-Roma man back to the Stadio Olimpico.
Should Emerson follow Cresswell out the door, that will leave newly-crowned Young Hammer of the Year Ollie Scarles as the club’s only senior left-back at the age of just 19.
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