West Ham have moved to clarify the situation regarding Crysencio Summerville after the sale of Mohammed Kudus to Spurs.
The Hammers are selling Mohammed Kudus to bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur for £54.5m.
West Ham have made it clear since November that they were going to have to sell in order to buy due to PSR.
Kudus was always the most obvious candidate to be moved on given he is West Ham’s most valuable asset who would be considered for sale.
But few expected the Hammers to actually entertain a move by fierce rivals Spurs to sign the Ghanaian.
That is exactly what has transpired, though, much to the anger of supporters who are turning on the owners once more.
Hammers hopes pinned on Summerville after Kudus exit
West Ham have issued a major transfer update in the wake of the Kudus sale.
Meanwhile Hammers fans have been trying to console themselves at the loss of the 24-year-old by pointing to the fact they have Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme quite literally waiting in the wings to fill the Kudus void.
However, news broke overnight that Botafogo have submitted a bid to West Ham for Guilherme.
Should West Ham entertain offers for the Brazilian teenager, it would leave all hopes pinned on Summerville.
The flying Dutchman was one of the only signings West Ham made during last summer’s £155m splurge who looked good value for money.
Summerville had to bide his time for chances under Julen Lopetegui but excited when he did get a chance.
His lack of action gave rise to speculation ahead of the January window that he may return to Leeds United on loan.
When Graham Potter arrived at West Ham, he made it clear Summerville was one of the players who excited him most.
Summerville starred in the first half of Potter’s first match, a harsh 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round, having the hosts on the back foot.
But the 23-year-old went off injured at half-time as West Ham’s season was effectively ended in January.
West Ham issue big update on Summerville after Kudus sale
Little did Potter or Hammers fans, that was the end of Summerville’s season too.
What Potter initially said was a precautionary substitution turned out to be a much more serious issue.
Summerville was told he required an operation but the £26m star chose – as is his right – to heal naturally instead.
It looked like the right call when the winger made a return to training around six weeks later – only for Summerville to suffer a major setback.
After more deliberation over the best way forward, Summerville eventually decided to have the recommended surgery.
Summerville took to social media to share the news, which was then confirmed by West Ham.
He has been recovering and rehabilitating ever since.
Now West Ham have issued a big update on Summerville after the Kudus sale.
Summerville has been a sight for sore eyes back at Rush Green as West Ham returned for pre-season training this week.
The star has been training with the team and in the gym, featuring in club videos and images.
One such example came on Thursday when he was pictured all smiles alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
With a Kudus-shaped hole to fill in the Hammers team, many are hoping Summerville can actually prove a better fit than the Ghanaian given he naturally plays off the left.
While it has been a huge positive seeing Summerville in training, fans have been warned not to get too excited about his return.
Hammers confirm Summerville won’t be ready for new season
Because an update from the most senior source inside West Ham has reaffirmed Summerville’s comeback timescale.
And it means Potter will have to start the new season without him.
“Summerville sadly, at the moment, is going to be late August/early September at the earliest,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s board told Hammers News in the wake of the Kudus sale.
That is a best case scenario as things stand.
And West Ham cannot afford to rush Summerville back too soon – even if he will have been out for eight months by the time he is back on the pitch.
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