Without even Europa Conference League football – let alone Champions League football – West Ham United might not have much luck luring the more ambitious of their summer targets.
Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha is expected to join Chelsea at some point in the near future, the London giants benefitting from an arrangement which has seen a number of Stamford Bridge loanees help Liam Rosenior’s surprise packages fight at the top end of Ligue 1.
Hammers News have also been told that Jonathan David is in no rush to join West Ham once his Lille contract expires in July.
Angel Gomes is leaning towards Tottenham, meanwhile. A big blow to Graham Potter’s plans, considering that the West Ham United boss felt England playmaker Angel Gomes was the perfect fit for his sluggish, often static midfield.
And as far as Joao Palhinha goes, the Hammers appear to be a distant third-place at best when it comes to the Bayern benchwarmer’s preferred destinations.
Joao Palhinha makes sure West Ham United know exactly where they stand
Reports back in April suggested that former Fulham talisman Palhinha was tempted by a return to English football.
He had started only six times during Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga-winning campaign under Vincent Kompany, after all, despite the Bavarian giants investing £46 million to lure him away from Craven Cottage.
Palhinha wasted little time in shutting down such rumours. The Portugal international is determined to stay at Bayern and fight for his place.
And even if his wish is destined to go ungranted, West Ham would fall some way behind Sporting Lisbon in the midfielder’s pecking order.
“I want to be [at the Allianz Arena] for another three years at most. I want to fulfil my contract with Bayern,” Palhinha told Portuguese publication Canal 11.
“Obviously, I don’t know what tomorrow will bring but, mainly due to my family life, I want to return [to Portugal when I leave Germany]. I will give preference to Sporting.
“It’s the club I love most in Portugal. That answer is clear. However, this is not the time to talk about it. I won’t rest until I’ve established myself at Bayern Munich.
“[When I turn] 32, I hope I get the opportunity [to come back to Sporting].”
Graham Potter wanted Lille ace Angel Gomes at West Ham
The now-29-year-old Palhinha was part of the Sporting Lisbon side who ended their two-decade wait for Primeira Liga glory under Ruben Amorim.
Despite incessant reports linking him with Wolves, the former Braga battleaxe then joined Fulham during the summer of 2022. And, while topping the Premier League’s ball-winning rankings for two successive years, Palhinha turned down an ‘excellent offer’ from West Ham while waiting to complete his dream move to Bayern Munich.
In truth, bringing Palhinha back to London would feel very much like a typical West Ham sort of signing. And not in a good way.
The Hammers have wasted millions bringing in ageing players on big wages. See Niclas Fullkrug and James Ward-Prowse, to name just two. Players seemingly signed more due to their reputations, rather than their suitability.
Plus, if Graham Potter feels that West Ham need a mobile, skilful, artistic number six like Angel Gomes, an imposing but technically-limited Palhinha would hardly be the calling card of a club who have learned from past mistakes.
Maybe this is a transfer West Ham are better off missing out on.
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