David Sullivan and Kyle Macaulay suffer early blow as West Ham’s first summer signing is hijacked

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West Ham’s transfer team of David Sullivan and Kyle Macaulay have hit their first bump in the road ahead of the summer window.

As most West Ham fans will be well aware by now, majority owner David Sullivan is back on transfers.

Sullivan divides opinion among Hammers fans and always has.

So the news has received mixed reactions among supporters, many of whom have accused Sullivan and the board of ‘phantom bids and faux ambition’ in the past.

During his 15-year reign at West Ham, Sullivan has only stepped back from involvement in transfers twice.

Sullivan back in control of West Ham’s transfers

Once when Manuel Pellegrini brought in Mario Husillos as director of football for the summer splurge of 2018.

And again when technical director Tim Steidten oversaw last summer’s even greater £155m spend.

Both of those summer windows were celebrated by fans and lauded by the media at the time.

But with hindsight they have been considered completely botched rebuilds.

West Ham insist they are a ‘happy ship’ post Steidten, with Sullivan the de facto director of football of sorts again working with head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay – Graham Potter’s talent spotting guru who has been with him at every club he’s managed.

Sullivan and Macaulay suffer early blow at West Ham

The plan for the summer is firstly to offload a large number of players.

West Ham are planning an 18-player turnaround, with 11 set to leave to raise funds for around eight new arrivals.

Potter and Macaulay want to lower the average age of the Premier League’s oldest squad quite drastically.

More energy, pace, power and dynamism is sorely needed in what has become a slow, ageing, uninspiring squad.

The Hammers have had the perfect player lined up since January to signal their intent over this summer’s rebuild.

Potter quickly identified the West Ham midfield as a major problem soon after being appointed.

West Ham’s planned first summer signing hijacked

Macaulay has the answer to overhaul it, box-to-box Dutch sensation Ezechiel Banzuzi.

It was reported that Banzuzi is a key target highlighted by Macauley via Potter before he was officially brought in from Chelsea mid-January.

Banzuzi is one of a series of hot prospect young players Macauley and Potter want in a major shift to West Ham’s recruitment philosophy.

There was excitement among West Ham fans about a move for the 20-year-old OH Leuven midfielder in January.

Word in the winter window was that the Hammers were close to signing Banzuzi, video footage of whom suggests he has all the attributes Potter’s side are crying out for.

The Hammers did submit a formal offer for Banzuzi in the last window.

OH Leuven refused to sell in January, though, and club insider Sean Whetstone revealed West Ham would be back in for Banzuzi this summer.

But Sullivan and Macaulay have suffered an early blow as West Ham’s first summer signing is hijacked.

In a devastating blow, West Ham’s Red Bull-esque move for Banzuzi has been scuppered by – Red Bull.

Because Banzuzi has signed for German side RB Leipzig according to Fabrizio Romano.

And it is for just £3m more than £10m West Ham reportedly offered in January.

West Ham’s Red Bull-esque move thwarted by… Red Bull

Romano says the ‘agreement is done’ for RB Leipzig to sign Banzuzi and he will now play for the Germans next season.

It’s back to the drawing board for West Ham.

This will be very alien to Macaulay who will be used to getting the players he picks out following his time at Chelsea and Brighton.

West Ham have just over seven weeks to pivot to alternatives when the window opens for 10 days on June 1st before closing for a week and then re-opening until September.

Thankfully Macaulay is rated as one of the best in the business when it comes to talent identification.

Getting deals over the line will be Sullivan’s remit and another matter entirely in what’s expected to be a fiercely competitive summer window given the number of clubs underperforming this season.