West Ham’s hopes of signing a wonderkid widely tipped to reach the very top have been emphatically crushed by Liverpool in the latest blow to Graham Potter.
Last summer West Ham blew Liverpool out of the water when it came to their summer transfer splurge.
The Hammers spent £155m signing nine new players and were being tipped – by the likes of Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher – as dark horses to challenge the Reds for a Champions League spot.
That’s because Arne Slot, who was underestimated by most when taking over from the seemingly irreplaceable Jurgen Klopp, spent just £12m bringing Federico Chiesa to Anfield.
Role reversal for West Ham and Liverpool this summer window
Fast forward a year and proof has been provided, if it were needed, that it is not what you spend but how you spend it.
And sometimes less is more.
Clearly Liverpool already had a far superior squad to West Ham – but they ended up winning the Premier League at a canter, a full 41 points ahead of the 14th placed Hammers.
It has been a complete role reversal already this summer transfer window.
West Ham have no money to spend and must sell players to raise funds for a much-needed rebuild.
Liverpool meanwhile are completely liquid and have been spending serious money signing some serious players.
All the talk has been about the blockbuster signing of Florian Wirtz but West Ham know Liverpool’s real difference maker is Jeremie Frimpong.
The move for Wirtz and the signing of Frimpong likely means Liverpool are out of the running for West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.
Liverpool crush all West Ham hope of signing wonderkid
Graham Potter and the board are banking on selling Kudus to raise the majority of their summer funds.
Slot has publicly stated he is a big fan of Kudus – as are many of his Liverpool players.
But while West Ham wait for a taker for the Ghanaian, they look set to fall even further behind the likes of the champions while missing out on yet another reported top target.
Because the Reds have made a decisive move that appears to end any lingering chance the Hammers had of pulling off an ambitious deal for Tyler Dibling.
West Ham were linked with Dibling back in the January window, following some eye-catching performances from one of the rare bright sparks in Southampton’s dismal relegation campaign.
Hammers News understands that head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay is a huge fan of one-time Chelsea academy starlet Dibling. The problem is, so are many others in his position at rival Premier League clubs – including Liverpool.
Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor advised Dibling to ‘join a team like West Ham’ instead of Liverpool – a move he feels is too big for the 19-year-old winger at his age.
But Liverpool have now crushed any remote West Ham hope of signing the wonderkid who has been tipped for the very top.
Reds blow Hammers out of the water for Kudus heir
Southampton’s former manager Russell Martin believes Dibling will go on to be one of the best players around for club and country.
But that won’t be while playing for the Hammers.
Because Liverpool are now not only ‘showing concrete interest’ in signing Dibling, they’re also willing to meet Southampton’s £51m asking price too.
Hammers News understands Potter shares Macaulay’s enthusiasm for signing Dibling and West Ham were eyeing the attacker as a potential replacement for Kudus.
But the level Liverpool are willing to go to in terms of the fee blows the Irons out of the water.
And while some, like Agbonlahor may argue Dibling won’t get enough game time at Anfield compared to West Ham, the potential departures of the likes of Luis Diaz and Harvey Elliott opens the door for plenty of opportunity.
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