Graham Potter has reacted after West Ham announced four senior players will be leaving the club and delivered an update on the situation with Michail Antonio.
It is going to be out with the old and in with the new at West Ham this summer. Quite literally.
That’s after the Hammers took some by surprise with a huge announcement that four veteran players with a combined 20 years of service are being released.
It has been confirmed that Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal and Danny Ings will depart West Ham when their contracts expire at the end of a disastrous season.
West Ham announce four major exits
West Ham sit 17th in the Premier League and have struggled to find any kind of form since the arrival of Graham Potter in January.
The Englishman has overseen just three wins in 16 games and last week stated that he wanted to trim down the size of West Ham’s squad.
That has started in earnest with Cresswell, Fabianski, Coufal and Ings – who have a combined age of 139 – leaving the London Stadium next month.
It means the game against Nottingham Forest next weekend will mark their send-off in front of West Ham’s home fans.
One player not mentioned in West Ham’s statement was striker Michail Antonio.
Back in March, Hammers News exclusively revealed West Ham were considering handing Antonio a new one-year deal.
Many Hammers fans are divided over Antonio’s future.
Potter makes Antonio situation clear
The 35-year-old striker has been a fantastic servant for West Ham but many feel now is the time to move on and finally go out and sign the younger forwards the club as been crying out for.
Others feel another year is the least Antonio deserves after his contribution to the club.
Now Potter has made the Antonio situation clear and insists the West Ham quartet being released are not bad eggs.
Potter delivered his most brutal West Ham squad assessment yet following the draw with Spurs.
Potter insists released West Ham quartet are not bad eggs
The Hammers boss pulled no punches as he revealed certain players would be shipped out this summer after refusing to change their ways.
A few days later West Ham have announced the four departures.
But speaking to the press about the decision to allow Cresswell, Fabianski, Coufal and Ings to leave, Potter insists it has nothing to do with their professionalism or application.
“As the statement says an amazing contribution, part of a really successful period for the club, they’ve conducted themselves impeccably, certainly from my time here – I can only speak highly of them,” Potter told the press.
“They’ve been fantastic professionals on and off the pitch, really good people that have had fantastic careers and we obviously wish them well in the next stage of their careers.”
Explaining why there has been no announcement on Antonio, who is also out of contract next month, Potter described the striker’s situation as “unique” as he delivered an update.
“Whenever we have anything to announce (on Antonio) we will do,” Potter added.
“Michail, it’s a unique situation with him in terms of how he’s recovering from his injury, he’s doing fantastically well, he’s going through a lot, we’ll support him with that and that’s the main thing at the moment.”
While West Ham will be shaving 139 years – and possibly 174 depending on the Antonio decision – off the age of the Premier League’s oldest squad, they will also be making a huge saving on wages.
With the Hammers insisting PSR will restrict Potter’s summer business, that has undoubtedly been a factor in the decision-making.
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