In a twist nobody saw coming, a sensational claim has surfaced suggesting that released goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski could be on his way back to West Ham.
Graham Potter raised eyebrows by ruthlessly releasing Lukasz Fabianski at the end of last season.
The Hammers boss decided to let long-serving quartet Aaron Cresswell, Michail Antonio, Fabianski and Vladimir Coufal leave the London Stadium.
The fantastic four had 33 years of service and over 1,000 appearances between them for the Hammers.
Potter made it clear he wanted to rebuild West Ham around younger players.
Potter made big call on West Ham goalkeeping unit
But when the 50-year-old then bemoaned a lack of leadership in his side after opening the new season with three defeats, shipping 11 goals in the process, many felt he only had himself to blame.
The spotlight has been especially cast on the goalkeeper position, though.
Potter also let goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero go as he made wholesale changes.
The West Ham head coach then pushed to sign Mads Hermansen as West Ham’s new number one from relegated Leicester City.
The Hammers paid a club record fee for a goalkeeper as they bought the Dane at £15.5m.
Potter then rather naively put Hermansen straight into the team for the first game of the season at Sunderland, replacing Alphonse Areola despite the 25-year-old Danish international having only trained for a couple of days with his new team.
Hermansen had a shocking debut, with question marks over his involvement in all three goals as West Ham lost 3-0 at the Stadium of Light.
Hermansen then made further blunders in the 5-1 home defeat to Chelsea before he was replaced by Areola for a Carabao Cup clash at Wolves.
The Frenchman showed why Potter ditched him in the first place, making two glaring errors of his own as the Irons crashed out 3-2.
Sensational claim Fabianski could make shock West Ham return
West Ham finally got their first win of the season, a superb 3-0 victory at Forest, before the international break.
Hermansen had little to do but performed well.
Going into deadline day, Areola was being linked with a move away as West Ham were reportedly eyeing a number of replacements.
Rumours of further potential West Ham exits have abound since deadline day due to several leagues still being open for business including Saudi, Turkey and Greece.
Now there may be a shocking twist in east London.
Because a sensational claim has emerged that Fabianski could make a shock West Ham return after his controversial release.
Former Poland number one Fabianski was highly critical of the way Potter handled his West Ham exit.
With striker Niclas Fullkrug picking up an injury on international duty with Germany, there has been talk Antonio might return given he is still a free agent.
West Ham have responded on the chances of a sensational Antonio comeback.
But now Fabianski genuinely might.
The veteran stopper has only just recently bid the Hammers an emotional farewell.
Now it has been claimed by a prominent West Ham insider that the club is talking to Fabianski about coming back as third choice goalkeeper.
Fab back with Foderingham set to leave West Ham?
That’s amid rumours the man currently occupying that role, Wes Foderingham, could see his contract terminated so allow him to accept a move abroad.
The speculation is yet to be verified but Hammers News has asked the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners whether there is any truth to the claims.
West Ham insider ExWHUemployee has reported the news on his West Ham Way Patreon as he too seeks some form of clarification.
Ex claims Foderingham could be set for a move to Denmark or Cyprus.
Many Hammers fans felt Potter should have given Fabianski a new one-year contract.
Especially considering he had proved he was arguably a better bet for West Ham’s number one spot than Areola even by the end of last season.
It is well known that Fabianski excels in pilot and Formula One racing driver reaction testing, even at 40.
So if he does return as number three, he will undoubtedly be breathing down Areola’s neck for the back-up position before too long.
The optics may not look great in terms of coherent squad planning from West Ham’s perspective.
But Fabianski was a hugely respected character in the Hammers dressing room and it may give the whole squad a big lift.
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