Graham Potter is a man who tends to keep his cards close to his chest in the heat of a transfer window. Erik ten Hag would maybe benefit from taking a leaf out of the West Ham United coach’s playbook.
As recently as last week, the former Manchester United boss told the media in no uncertain terms that Granit Xhaka would not be leaving Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
Days later, Xhaka was posing for photos in the red and white of Sunderland. The one-time Arsenal enforcer securing a Premier League return that Erik ten Hag insisted would not happen.
Xhaka’s exit means that embattled Bayer Leverkusen have now lost six first-team players during Ten Hag’s first few months at the helm. A list which includes Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah, while goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky now looks bound for Monaco too.
According to further claims to emerge in the last few days, West Ham are interested in signing Amine Adli as well.
So, in the almost immediate aftermath of Ten Hag saying that Leverkusen ‘would not let any more players go’, their tally of high-profile departures could now rise from five to eight presuming that Hradecky and the West Ham United-linked Adli follow Xhaka out the Bay Arena door.
West Ham United-linked Amine Adli wants to leave Bayer Leverkusen for the Premier League
Hammers News understands that Graham Potter would like a versatile forward capable of playing out wide or through the middle. Hence, the interest in Amine Adli.
A link pushed initially by respected French reporter Julien Laurens, and now backed up this side of the Channel.
TeamTalk claim that Adli is ‘desperate’ to follow Xhaka, Frimpong and Wirtz to the Premier League.
Big-spending Sunderland are hoping to pull off another Leverkusen-themed coup, while BILD say that a ‘concrete offer’ has arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Hammers, then, appear to be slightly further back in the queue as things stand.
West Ham must raise funds before making moves for their more expensively-priced targets. It remains to be seen whether Amine Adli – who seems to be valued somewhere between £23 million and £26 million – would require a Mohammed Kudus-style sale before the London Stadium becomes a realistic destination.
Bundesliga winner Adli would bring ‘electric pace’ to West Ham
While not quite as influential as Xhaka, Frimpong or Wirtz to Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga-winning campaign in 2024, Adli has still been a very useful member of arguably the greatest-ever Bayer Leverkusen roster.
The France-born Morocco international provided ten goals and 12 assists as Leverkusen came within an Ademola Lookman hat-trick of a historic treble a year ago.
Adli’s tally dropped to two goals and two assists respectively in 2024/25, though that can be explained by the fact he missed four months of the season with a broken fibula.
“Amine’s very fast, has good technique, is extremely agile and skilful,” Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said of a 25-year-old forward renowned for his explosive acceleration, his fierce ball-striking, and his tendency to make angled runs off the shoulder of the opposition backline.
“[He is] a versatile, mobile player, capable of playing anywhere along the front line [with] electric pace and acceleration,” explains Jacek Kulig on his Football Talent Scout X page.
“[Adli is also] highly technical and creative. Superb dribbling skills, great ball control and first touch. An exceptional ability to manoeuvre in small spaces.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
