West Ham have been linked with a move for another ex Leeds star they don’t need as a new Raphinha claim is made.
West Ham and Leeds United fans cast your minds back to January 2022.
The Hammers made official bids worth £50m each for then Leeds duo Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.
As reported at the time by the likes of The Guardian, David Moyes has since publicly confirmed Leeds rejected his moves for pair. Raphinha went on to be sold to Barcelona while Phillips joined Man City.
After 18 months in the cold at Man City, homegrown former Leeds hero Phillips has eventually ended up at West Ham.
His loan move to the London Stadium outfit has been nothing short of disastrous thus far.
And Moyes has been criticised for signing a central midfielder in January given it is where West Ham are best stocked and the fact they had much more pressing priorities in other positions.
Well there’s more deja vu for West Ham and Leeds supporters right now.
Because West Ham have been linked with another ex Leeds star they don’t need as a new Raphinha claim is made.
West Ham eyeing Raphinha
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo is reporting that Raphinha is the subject of interest from West Ham again ahead of the summer.
It claims the Hammers are scouring the market for wide attackers heading into the summer transfer window. But the report warns Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool are also interested in Lucas Paqueta’s Brazil teammate, who faces an uncertain future at Barca.
The simple fact is, though, it is yet another position West Ham do not need to strengthen.
Raphinha is left-footed and his best – and favoured – position is off the right wing or right forward role.
Hammers have more pressing priorities
At West Ham Moyes is already finding it hard to know what to do with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus – who are both best-suited in that position too.
Bowen has been used as a striker with limited success. And many want to see him moved back to the right hand side – as he was when Michail Antonio returned to the team in the defeat to Forest last time out.
Unless the plan is to play Raphinha as a striker – where he has no proven pedigree – then another West Ham move for another ex Leeds star simply doesn’t make sense.
It’s also interesting to see the transfer rumour mill is already creaking back into gear.
That’s despite the summer window not opening for another 17 weeks this Friday.
READ ALSO
Confidant shares message from West Ham board about their stance on Moyes.
Investigation, return and future: Major three-pronged Paqueta update.
Sean Whetstone makes huge new claim about Daniel Kretinsky.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
