West Ham boss Graham Potter has received what is hands down the best news of a quiet transfer window so far – and it’s come straight from one of Europe’s elite clubs.
After a major twist behind the scenes, the Hammers have reportedly been contacted directly regarding one of Graham Potter’s top targets of the summer transfer window.
It’s been nothing but doom and gloom at West Ham for a long while now.
Stretching back to January 2024 to be precise.
Since a 2-0 win at Arsenal on December 28th the Hammers have been a club in near constant decline.
From sixth place and one win off the top four, West Ham have won just 15 of their last 57 Premier League matches over 18 months.
Potter has it all to prove and West Ham must get summer right
The regression saw the Hammers fall out of Europe for the first time in three years in what proved to be David Moyes’ final months as manager to then seeing off Julen Lopetegui and now piling the pressure on Potter.
The Englishman has a worse record than Lopetegui since taking over in east London – just five wins from 10 games.
But the 50-year-old has been given grace by understanding – albeit deeply frustrated – West Ham fans.
After all the team he inherited had been underperforming and the malaise had set in long before Potter’s arrival.
By the time August rolls around, Potter would have been given a seven-month period of grace.
Supporters aren’t going to judge him until he has his own team in place.
That’s why this summer’s transfer window is among the most important in West Ham’s modern history; because any further regression could have grave consequences.
Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay have a transfer plan in place which the manager himself told fans was ‘exciting and interesting’.
It includes signing at least one quality new striker and overhauling the club’s stodgy and samey midfield.
Macaulay arrived at West Ham from Chelsea in January for a reunion with Potter.
The Hammers paid £1.2m for the privilege and the Scottish talent identifier came armed with a dossier of targets for Potter’s rebuild.
Up front the Hammers like Evann Guessand of Nice, Emanuel Emegha of Strasbourg and Mathias Kvistgaarden of Brondby – to name but a few.
Elite club call West Ham to deliver best news of the window so far
The Hammers say there is no truth to links with Ligue 1 forward Lucas Stassin.
In a Hammers News exclusive, West Ham’s owners also ruled out moves for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Callum Wilson – citing their ages and injury records as concerns.
In midfield, Potter wants to rip things up and start again. He has made it clear he feels a revamp in the centre of the park will transform how West Ham play – which Potter stated was ‘nowhere near where we want to be’ at the end of last season.
West Ham have denied any truth to links with Josh Brownhill.
Younger, more athletic talents are on West Ham’s radar including Genoa’s Morten Frendup Club Brugge duo Ardon Jashari and Raphael Onyedika, RB Salzburg’s Mamady Diambou and Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens.
Another player who has come back onto the Hammers radar is Yunus Musah.
West Ham were heavily linked with Musah two years ago but missed out to Italian giants AC Milan when he left Valencia.
It’s no great surprise Potter and Macaulay like Musah. The powerful and energetic USA international perfectly fits the profile of midfielder they both want.
Musah is not playing as much as he’d like at Milan and next season he will want to be first choice ahead of the World Cup in his home country.
Musah had been linked with West Ham again this summer.
But Hammers chief David Sullivan, who has reprised his role as the club’s de facto director of football, was branded ‘useless’ by Milan last week.
That’s after it was claimed by a leading Italian newspaper that West Ham made a futile 11th hour offer for Musah, when it was well known he was already on the verge of joining Serie A champions Napoli.
Major twist as Milan contact Hammers over Musah after collapse
Well now Milan have called West Ham to deliver the best news of the window so far after a major twist.
After reaching an agreement with the player for a five-year contract, Tuttosport claim negotiations between Napoli and Milan have collapsed and they will not pay over £20-25m including add-ons.
As a result, the site claims Milan have contacted West Ham directly – presumably with their tails between their legs – to see if they will rekindle their interest in signing Musah.
The report even goes as far as to state there ‘seems confidence Milan can tempt them to make a move’.
Better still, the San Siro giants are now willing to accept around £20m for the talented midfielder.
The problem for the Hammers now is cash.
They don’t have any until sales are made – so all eyes are on whether the club can agree a deal to offload the likes of Mohammed Kudus.
Although Hammers News understands the sale of Nayef Aguerd to Bayer Leverkusen looks most likely to be concluded first with West Ham looking for around £15-17m.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
