It has become unquestionably clear Graham Potter needs to overhaul his West Ham side this summer.
- Hammers News exclusive
West Ham may have been hoping for a magical turnaround in fortunes under Graham Potter.
But they haven’t got it as the Englishman has struggled to get results even more than predecessor Julen Lopetegui.
Potter has a 25 per cent win rate with the Hammers having recorded victory in just three of his first 12 games in charge.
Potter insists he inherited a mess from Lopetegui.
Performances and results have not dramatically improved by any stretch since Potter’s arrival and they will need to when next season rolls around.
Potter knows West Ham overhaul needed
The ex Chelsea boss has described the no man’s land limbo West Ham have found themselves in for the second half of the season as ‘unusual and strange’.
But what it has afforded him is the chance to see the players he wants to keep and those he can dispense of.
It is debateable that only five or six of the current West Ham team should be starters next season.
The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo – if he can stay fit and last 90 minutes – and perhaps Crysencio Summerville and Tomas Soucek being among that number.
Ornstein claimed Hammers don’t have PSR issues
Wholesale changes are needed throughout the team and squad.
It has been widely publicised that Potter and new head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay will be looking to drive down the average age of the Premier League’s oldest squad.
The manager lost patience with his players for the first time last week.
Potter warned West Ham’s stars shape up or be shipped out after the loss at Wolves.
The Hammers boss also revealed he plans to be active in what will be an extended summer transfer window.
But that comes against the backdrop of some confusion over how much – if any – money Potter will have to spend.
Now West Ham have set the record straight on Potter’s summer transfer budget as the first priority is disclosed.
West Ham set record straight on Potter’s summer transfer budget
Up to now followers of Hammers News will know West Ham have been preparing supporters – and the manager – for a difficult summer window.
Those inside the club have been trying to manage expectations of fans after being among the top six spenders in the Premier League since Daniel Kretinsky’s arrival in November 2021.
A top board source – believed to be majority owner David Sullivan – told supporters earlier this month: ‘our finances are a mess’.
But Athletic journalist David Ornstein called Sullivan’s bluff recently, suggesting West Ham are feeding fans a red herring over finances.
Ornstein said he is not aware of any reason PSR would be an issue for the Irons and that he expected the club to be busy backing Potter in the window.
West Ham’s first priority for summer disclosed
To clarify the situation, Hammers News put Ornstein’s comments to the board.
The response won’t be what fans want to hear – but it will at least force the Hammers to perform a much-needed clearout.
Because it has now been confirmed by the club to Hammers News that Potter cannot make any signings until West Ham offload players first.
“Under Financial Fair Play rules (PSR) we are completely spent out,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s board told Hammers News.
“We have to move players out to raise money before we buy.”
To fund last summer’s £155m spend, West Ham did a £69m deal with Barclays to get access to transfer cash owed to them early.
Players must be sold first before West Ham can make signings
The Hammers forfeited £4m of that by way of payment to the bank in order to have £65m to spend in the failed rebuild.
West Ham chief Sullivan has previously warned £80m losses are on the horizon for the Hammers in the next accounts.
The good news for Potter is that the Hammers already have plans to try and raise £100m in West Ham player sales this summer.
The extended summer window may also help. It opens between June 1st and 10th, closes for a week, then re-opens all the way through to September.
Usually clubs have to wait until mid-June until they are able to do deals and that is restricted to domestic only with the international window then normally opening on July 1st.
This summer’s changes mean West Ham can try to move players on as soon as the window opens on June 1st with clubs from across Europe and the world as potential buyers.
One West Ham player who won’t be sold is Bowen, the club have exclusively told Hammers News after fresh links to Liverpool.
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