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Tuesday News (includes West Ham)
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Tuesday News (includes West Ham)
BBC
Inter Milan are hoping to sign Manchester United and Denmark forward Rasmus Hojlund, 22, on loan this summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian, external)
Manchester United are waiting for a decision from Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes about whether he wants to stay at the club or leave, with Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal interested in the 30-year-old. (Sky Sports), external
Crystal Palace's French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, 27, is also on Manchester United's striker shortlist, but they may face competition from Juventus and AC Milan. (Teamtalk), external
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, is expected to sign a new contract at Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners keen to ward off rumoured interest in the England defender from Real Madrid. (Mail), external
Liverpool have agreed a contract with Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz until 2030, but have yet to agree a fee for the 22-year-old, with Bayer Leverkusen rejecting a 130m euros (£110m) offer from the Reds as they hold out for 150m euros (£127m). (Bild - in German)
Barcelona have started initial talks with Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, 28, with interest from Saudi Arabia for the Colombian. (Florian Plettenberg), external
Chelsea are considering a move for Everton and England centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, 22, while Tottenham could rival the Blues for his signature this summer. (Teamtalk), external
English midfielder Jobe Bellingham has chosen to join his brother Jude's former club Borussia Dortmund instead of Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig and the German club will start talks with Sunderland to sign the 19-year-old. (Bild - in German), external
Chelsea are also weighing up a move for Borussia Dortmund's 20-year-old English winger Jamie Gittens, who could cost about £50m. (Guardian), external
Manchester City are close to agreeing a deal for AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 26, in time for the Fifa Club World Cup which starts on 14 June in the United States. (Football Italia), external
Everton, Manchester United and West Ham could make a move for Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, with Al-Hilal prepared to offload the 30-year-old. (Talksport), external
Brighton are keeping tabs on the progress of Sheffield United midfielder Ollie Arblaster, 21, as he continues his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. (Teamtalk, external)
Former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere, 33, is the frontrunner to become the manager of League One Plymouth Argyle. (Sun)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Brentford may ask for a higher fee for Bryan Mbeumo after claims that he has decided to join Manchester United.
Neymar was sent off in what could be his final appearance for boyhood club Santos after trying to emulate Argentine great Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' by punching the ball into the goal.
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United are to open official talks with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo after the forward indicated his wish to move to Old Trafford.
Crystal Palace will head for an emergency summit with UEFA on Tuesday in a desperate bid to avoid being kicked out of Europe.
Inter Milan are stepping up their interest in Rasmus Hojlund, who could be allowed to leave Manchester United for a cut-price fee.
Chelsea are open to offers for Noni Madueke.
Liverpool remain in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for Florian Wirtz. Bayer want £120m and Liverpool are at £109m, but Wirtz has made it clear he wants the move.
THE TIMES
The Premier League is planning to make a new proposal to clubs this week to close the loophole that has allowed Chelsea to register a profit from selling hotels and their women's team to a sister company.
Chelsea have renewed their interest in Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Gittens after sealing a move for Liam Delap in time for the Club World Cup.
THE SUN
Leeds are keen on Newcastle's Nick Pope after missing out on Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher.
Borussia Dortmund are confident they will beat Frankfurt to the signing of Jobe Bellingham and are offering him the chance to play at this month's Club World Cup.
THE GUARDIAN
Chelsea are increasingly likely to decide against signing Jadon Sancho on a permanent basis from Manchester United.
Manchester City are optimistic of signing the Wolves full-back Rayan Ait Nouri as part of their summer revamp.
Thomas Tuchel is planning a warm-weather training break for his England squad next March followed by a pre-World Cup boot camp in Miami in June because of concerns about the effect of high temperatures on the players during the tournament in the US.
The government says it is "fully prepared" to take Roman Abramovich to court to resolve the three-year impasse over the £2.5bn frozen from the sale of Chelsea.
Guardian Rumour mill
Michael Butler
Bruno Fernandes is pretty much the only person to come out of Manchester United’s season with any credit, and it turns out that has got Al-Hilal’s scouting boffins very excited, so much so that the Saudi club have reportedly offered a £100m transfer fee and a total wage package of £200m over three years to land the Portuguese. That sort of money for a player who turns 31 in September is not bad going for any party (apart from Al-Hilal), but Fernandes has – according to Fabrizio Romano – rejected the move as he “wants to play at [the] top level in Europe”. There’s a joke there somewhere about Manchester United and the “top level in Europe” but the Mill isn’t going to stoop. Fernandes was pictured at the birthday party of João Cancelo, who plays for Al-Hilal, over the weekend and now both have joined up with the Portuguese national side for their Nations League semi-final against Germany on Wednesday evening.
One man that could join Fernandes at Manchester United is Bryan Mbeumo after his 20-goal season for Brentford. The Cameroon international has interest from Champions League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle but is said to favour a move to Old Trafford. United are expected to open talks with Mbeumo in the next few weeks but will likely have to sell before they buy: Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Højlund are both being linked with Inter, with the Dane previously shining in Serie A for Atalanta.
The lovely pink front page of Gazzetta dello Sport has a Federico Chiesa quote all over it, with the Italian linked with a move back to his former club. “Juventus? I still love the club. Returning there one day? why not?” teased the forward. “Thiago Motta [the now departed manager at Juve] didn’t want me there. He told me that I was not part of his plans, and should go find a team.” Chiesa did find a team last summer in Liverpool but after an underwhelming season in red, it may be that the Premier League champions are willing to part with Chiesa, who reportedly earns a six-figure weekly salary on Merseyside.
Some confusion on the Chelsea transfer front, although that is nothing new. The club have activated Liam Delap’s £30m release clause at Ipswich Town but are now also being linked with another striker nearly triple the price: Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. And while that is not surprising for a club that has a history of stockpiling elite players, it might also be unsettling for young Delap, who would presumably hope to arrive at Stamford Bridge as the main man up top. Both deals for Delap and Ekitike are far from done, though, with Frankfurt wanting £84m for the latter – which would eclipse even the 2023 sale of Randal Kolo Muani to PSG.
Three players who could leave Chelsea to make room are Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and João Félix, with the latter apparently in advanced talks to rejoin Benfica just one year into his seven-year contract and his £45m move to the London club last summer. João Félix moved to Milan on loan in January but again was disappointing in Serie A and could move back to Portugal, perhaps even in time for Benfica’s Club World Cup campaign later this month.
Borussia Dortmund are in pole position to sign Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland, despite the Black Cats’ promotion to the Premier League. Given his brother’s experience at Dortmund, and subsequent rise to astronomical stardom, that is also not a huge shock, with RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt also said to be interested. But Dortmund’s sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, met with Bellingham last week in Ibiza … presumably with Wayne Lineker acting as some sort of intermediary?
Meanwhile, Espanyol keeper Joan García has chosen Barcelona over Arsenal, Liverpool remain open to selling Luis Díaz with the Colombian’s contract now down to just two years, while Spurs are interested in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
The Athletic
West Ham Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key positions and available players
By Roshane Thomas
West Ham United have to sell before they can buy any new players ahead of the summer transfer window.
A number of targets have been identified and head coach Graham Potter predicts an exciting window. But the club intends to sell several fringe players to enable Potter to continue building West Ham in his image.
Potter took over mid-season and oversaw five wins in 18 league games, losing eight and drawing five. At his unveiling in January, the head coach outlined how he intends to improve the side, why the club has a high ceiling and the need for everyone to be aligned. Five months on, and Potter will finally get the opportunity to imprint his ideas in the transfer market.
The Athletic can reveal who the key decision makers will be this summer, who could potentially depart and more.
Who will make key decisions this window?
Mainly majority shareholder David Sullivan, Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
“Kyle has been busy, and we’ve all been working as a club,” Potter told West Ham’s website. “We need to plan, we need to reflect, we need to make the right decisions, in terms of what we want to do going forward, and it’s going to be an exciting, interesting summer. I think, in an ideal world, you want to do things early (in the transfer market), but sometimes it’s not like that. You have to be patient. If we can do anything, we will. But, at the same time, I think making the right decision, aligned together, is the focus for us.”
The recruitment team primarily includes sporting director Mark Noble, European scout Georges Santos, first team scout Adam Clarke and first-team recruitment analyst Dylan Curnell. Potter plans to bolster the size of his recruitment team further. The club recently posted a job advert for a recruitment support analyst. The role entails supporting the first team recruitment department with video analysis, data insights, and artificial intelligence and machine learning integration in scouting operations.
What positions will they be looking at in the summer window?
Following Evan Ferguson’s unconvincing loan spell from Brighton, West Ham remain in the market for a forward. The 20-year-old was not fully fit when he joined in January and failed to score in eight league appearances. He was not in the matchday squad for the last game of the season against Ipswich Town.
Michail Antonio, whose deal expires at the end of June, is unlikely to be offered a contract extension, while Niclas Fullkrug has an uncertain future.
What is the manager’s priority?
Potter is not one to disclose which position he wants to strengthen, but he has stated repeatedly that any potential arrival has to be the right fit.
“As a team, we have to be better, for sure,” said Potter following the victory over Ipswich Town. “I don’t like relying on individuals to dig you out of trouble. I think we as a team need to defend and attack better. We’ve made steps in some areas but, attacking-wise, we can do better.
“Our job now is to improve the squad to make sure the culture and environment that represents this amazing club is there properly and then we can achieve some good things, I think.”
Are there any specific players they are targeting?
The club have identified Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika as one of their top transfer targets. Potter wants to bolster his midfield options, which consist of James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Guido Rodriguez, Edson Alvarez and Andy Irving. Carlos Soler was another alternative, but his loan from Paris Saint-Germain will not be converted into a permanent deal.
West Ham are one of many Premier League teams that want to sign Onyedika this summer. The 24-year-old’s deal expires in the summer of 2027, which does not feature an option to extend. Attackers James McAtee of Manchester City and Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens remain on West Ham’s radar. The club have cooled their interest in Brighton & Hove Albion defender Adam Webster, while their chances of signing Lille duo Jonathan David and Angel Gomes, both of whom are in the final month of their deals, remain slim. The club are still monitoring Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, following Lukasz Fabianski’s release.
Who will they be looking to sell?
West Ham are adamant captain Jarrod Bowen is not for sale. The England international ended the campaign with 14 goals and 10 assists across 36 appearances in all competitions. Bowen has five years remaining on a seven-year deal he signed in October 2023.
West Ham are open to offers for a string of players, including Maxwel Cornet, Emerson Palmieri, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez.
Mohammed Kudus, meanwhile, could attract interest this summer. The Ghana international scored in the 3-1 victory over relegated side Ipswich Town. The 24-year-old attacker has a buyout clause which is only active for the first 10 days of July and is valued at £80million ($108.3m) for European clubs, £85m for Premier League sides and £120m for Saudi teams. West Ham have not received any formal offers for the attacker.
Midfielder Irving could also depart this summer due to a lack of game time. The 25-year-old had interest from European clubs in January but wanted to see out the season. In June 2024, defender Nayef Aguerd joined CanteraSport agency, which also represents Kurt Zouma. The Morocco international has spent this season on loan at Spanish side Real Sociedad. Potter was reluctant to admit whether Aguerd features in his long-term plans ahead of the defeat to Brighton on April 26. Aguerd’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2027.
Will anyone move out on loan?
Youngsters Lewis Orford and Kaelan Casey are set for loan spells in the summer. Casey had interest from EFL clubs in last August but stayed after West Ham opted against signing then-free agent John Egan, who later joined Burnley and then moved to Hull City in January. Potter handed Orford his first-team debut in January against Crystal Palace. The 19-year-old, a member of the 2023 FA Youth Cup-winning side, has mainly played for Steve Potts’ Under-21s.
West Ham are open to loaning out Luis Guilherme so he can gain first-team experience. Last summer’s £25m signing from Brazilian side Palmeiras only made 12 league appearances, totalling 139 minutes.
What sort of budget do they have and what is their PSR position?
Although West Ham are not facing a profit and sustainability (PSR) issue, internally, they have conceded they have to sell before they can buy this summer.
Having spent more than £120m last summer, club sources, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, said they were right up against the wages/turnover cap.
The departures of Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Danny Ings and Fabianski will free up salary space.
All Nigeria Soccer
Confirmed: Versatile Nigerian attacker signs new deal with West Ham
With a statement on the official website, Premier League club West Ham United have announced that versatile Nigerian attacker Elisha Sowunmi has signed a new deal ahead of the 2025-2026 season.
Born on June 1, 2007, Sowunmi, who is comfortable on the left or right flank or as No10., has signed his first professional contract with the Hammers, following a breakout campaign.
The talented forward has been rewarded with a new deal after finishing the season as West Ham U18s top scorer in all competitions with sixteen goals, including fourteen in the U18 Premier League.
Notably, Sowunmi bagged hat-tricks in back-to-back away games against Reading and Aston Villa in U18 Premier League fixtures, while netting a brace on the final day of the season in a 4-2 win over West Brom.
He has been on the books of West Ham since U9 level, rising through the ranks to sign a scholarship deal in 2023.
With his parents in attendance, the contract was signed at Chadwell Heath, the training ground he has considered home for the last twelve years.
Sowunmi provided the game-winning assist as West Ham won the U18 Premier League Cup for the first time in the club's history.
He is the latest long-serving West Ham youth player from the Premier League Cup-winning squad to sign a professional contract, joining teammates Ezra Mayers, Emeka Adiele, Airidas Golambeckis, Jethro Medine and Riley Hargan.
C&H
Silly season starts early as striker interest rubbished
From the multitude of names and reports linking West Ham with a dozen or so strikers in just two days of transfer window operation, it seems clear the silly season is well underway. The Irons are well known to be searching for an Antonio replacement – at the very least – and so stories abound of front men ‘linked’ with the club: Perhaps by publications or just by agents looking to ratchet up their player-client profiles to get a better deal where they are.
One which caught my eye was todays ‘report’ that ‘West Ham were eyeing a move to sign £405k a week forward‘ – their words not mine – suggesting that former Fulham and Anderlecht hitman Alexander Mitrovic would seriously consider leaving pro-League side Al-Hilal this summer where he is earning almost twenty million pounds a year – tax free- to come to West Ham where the highest paid individual is on £150k a week before tax – some £7.8 million.
There are ‘wage cuts’ and ‘wage cuts. Dropping over ten million a year to come to West Ham is just a little too far fetched.
As predicted (but we asked him anyway) our transfer insider, close to business but independent from West Ham, actually laughed out loud as he rubbished the suggestion. ‘No chance‘ would be the best way of summing up that rumour.
Besides, Mitrovic at 30 is hardly an appreciating asset these days although still a phenomenal striker with 68 goals in 79 Saudi Pro-League matches.
In any case, you’d hope that the Irons have learned their lesson from last season’s travails of a trio of thirty-something strikers. Best don’t get your hopes up, West Ham fans, that Mitrovic will be incoming any time soon. Next!
Inter Milan are hoping to sign Manchester United and Denmark forward Rasmus Hojlund, 22, on loan this summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian, external)
Manchester United are waiting for a decision from Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes about whether he wants to stay at the club or leave, with Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal interested in the 30-year-old. (Sky Sports), external
Crystal Palace's French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, 27, is also on Manchester United's striker shortlist, but they may face competition from Juventus and AC Milan. (Teamtalk), external
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, is expected to sign a new contract at Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners keen to ward off rumoured interest in the England defender from Real Madrid. (Mail), external
Liverpool have agreed a contract with Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz until 2030, but have yet to agree a fee for the 22-year-old, with Bayer Leverkusen rejecting a 130m euros (£110m) offer from the Reds as they hold out for 150m euros (£127m). (Bild - in German)
Barcelona have started initial talks with Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, 28, with interest from Saudi Arabia for the Colombian. (Florian Plettenberg), external
Chelsea are considering a move for Everton and England centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, 22, while Tottenham could rival the Blues for his signature this summer. (Teamtalk), external
English midfielder Jobe Bellingham has chosen to join his brother Jude's former club Borussia Dortmund instead of Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig and the German club will start talks with Sunderland to sign the 19-year-old. (Bild - in German), external
Chelsea are also weighing up a move for Borussia Dortmund's 20-year-old English winger Jamie Gittens, who could cost about £50m. (Guardian), external
Manchester City are close to agreeing a deal for AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, 26, in time for the Fifa Club World Cup which starts on 14 June in the United States. (Football Italia), external
Everton, Manchester United and West Ham could make a move for Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, with Al-Hilal prepared to offload the 30-year-old. (Talksport), external
Brighton are keeping tabs on the progress of Sheffield United midfielder Ollie Arblaster, 21, as he continues his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury. (Teamtalk, external)
Former Arsenal and England midfielder Jack Wilshere, 33, is the frontrunner to become the manager of League One Plymouth Argyle. (Sun)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Brentford may ask for a higher fee for Bryan Mbeumo after claims that he has decided to join Manchester United.
Neymar was sent off in what could be his final appearance for boyhood club Santos after trying to emulate Argentine great Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' by punching the ball into the goal.
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United are to open official talks with Brentford for Bryan Mbeumo after the forward indicated his wish to move to Old Trafford.
Crystal Palace will head for an emergency summit with UEFA on Tuesday in a desperate bid to avoid being kicked out of Europe.
Inter Milan are stepping up their interest in Rasmus Hojlund, who could be allowed to leave Manchester United for a cut-price fee.
Chelsea are open to offers for Noni Madueke.
Liverpool remain in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for Florian Wirtz. Bayer want £120m and Liverpool are at £109m, but Wirtz has made it clear he wants the move.
THE TIMES
The Premier League is planning to make a new proposal to clubs this week to close the loophole that has allowed Chelsea to register a profit from selling hotels and their women's team to a sister company.
Chelsea have renewed their interest in Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Gittens after sealing a move for Liam Delap in time for the Club World Cup.
THE SUN
Leeds are keen on Newcastle's Nick Pope after missing out on Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher.
Borussia Dortmund are confident they will beat Frankfurt to the signing of Jobe Bellingham and are offering him the chance to play at this month's Club World Cup.
THE GUARDIAN
Chelsea are increasingly likely to decide against signing Jadon Sancho on a permanent basis from Manchester United.
Manchester City are optimistic of signing the Wolves full-back Rayan Ait Nouri as part of their summer revamp.
Thomas Tuchel is planning a warm-weather training break for his England squad next March followed by a pre-World Cup boot camp in Miami in June because of concerns about the effect of high temperatures on the players during the tournament in the US.
The government says it is "fully prepared" to take Roman Abramovich to court to resolve the three-year impasse over the £2.5bn frozen from the sale of Chelsea.
Guardian Rumour mill
Michael Butler
Bruno Fernandes is pretty much the only person to come out of Manchester United’s season with any credit, and it turns out that has got Al-Hilal’s scouting boffins very excited, so much so that the Saudi club have reportedly offered a £100m transfer fee and a total wage package of £200m over three years to land the Portuguese. That sort of money for a player who turns 31 in September is not bad going for any party (apart from Al-Hilal), but Fernandes has – according to Fabrizio Romano – rejected the move as he “wants to play at [the] top level in Europe”. There’s a joke there somewhere about Manchester United and the “top level in Europe” but the Mill isn’t going to stoop. Fernandes was pictured at the birthday party of João Cancelo, who plays for Al-Hilal, over the weekend and now both have joined up with the Portuguese national side for their Nations League semi-final against Germany on Wednesday evening.
One man that could join Fernandes at Manchester United is Bryan Mbeumo after his 20-goal season for Brentford. The Cameroon international has interest from Champions League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle but is said to favour a move to Old Trafford. United are expected to open talks with Mbeumo in the next few weeks but will likely have to sell before they buy: Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Højlund are both being linked with Inter, with the Dane previously shining in Serie A for Atalanta.
The lovely pink front page of Gazzetta dello Sport has a Federico Chiesa quote all over it, with the Italian linked with a move back to his former club. “Juventus? I still love the club. Returning there one day? why not?” teased the forward. “Thiago Motta [the now departed manager at Juve] didn’t want me there. He told me that I was not part of his plans, and should go find a team.” Chiesa did find a team last summer in Liverpool but after an underwhelming season in red, it may be that the Premier League champions are willing to part with Chiesa, who reportedly earns a six-figure weekly salary on Merseyside.
Some confusion on the Chelsea transfer front, although that is nothing new. The club have activated Liam Delap’s £30m release clause at Ipswich Town but are now also being linked with another striker nearly triple the price: Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. And while that is not surprising for a club that has a history of stockpiling elite players, it might also be unsettling for young Delap, who would presumably hope to arrive at Stamford Bridge as the main man up top. Both deals for Delap and Ekitike are far from done, though, with Frankfurt wanting £84m for the latter – which would eclipse even the 2023 sale of Randal Kolo Muani to PSG.
Three players who could leave Chelsea to make room are Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and João Félix, with the latter apparently in advanced talks to rejoin Benfica just one year into his seven-year contract and his £45m move to the London club last summer. João Félix moved to Milan on loan in January but again was disappointing in Serie A and could move back to Portugal, perhaps even in time for Benfica’s Club World Cup campaign later this month.
Borussia Dortmund are in pole position to sign Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland, despite the Black Cats’ promotion to the Premier League. Given his brother’s experience at Dortmund, and subsequent rise to astronomical stardom, that is also not a huge shock, with RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt also said to be interested. But Dortmund’s sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, met with Bellingham last week in Ibiza … presumably with Wayne Lineker acting as some sort of intermediary?
Meanwhile, Espanyol keeper Joan García has chosen Barcelona over Arsenal, Liverpool remain open to selling Luis Díaz with the Colombian’s contract now down to just two years, while Spurs are interested in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
The Athletic
West Ham Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key positions and available players
By Roshane Thomas
West Ham United have to sell before they can buy any new players ahead of the summer transfer window.
A number of targets have been identified and head coach Graham Potter predicts an exciting window. But the club intends to sell several fringe players to enable Potter to continue building West Ham in his image.
Potter took over mid-season and oversaw five wins in 18 league games, losing eight and drawing five. At his unveiling in January, the head coach outlined how he intends to improve the side, why the club has a high ceiling and the need for everyone to be aligned. Five months on, and Potter will finally get the opportunity to imprint his ideas in the transfer market.
The Athletic can reveal who the key decision makers will be this summer, who could potentially depart and more.
Who will make key decisions this window?
Mainly majority shareholder David Sullivan, Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
“Kyle has been busy, and we’ve all been working as a club,” Potter told West Ham’s website. “We need to plan, we need to reflect, we need to make the right decisions, in terms of what we want to do going forward, and it’s going to be an exciting, interesting summer. I think, in an ideal world, you want to do things early (in the transfer market), but sometimes it’s not like that. You have to be patient. If we can do anything, we will. But, at the same time, I think making the right decision, aligned together, is the focus for us.”
The recruitment team primarily includes sporting director Mark Noble, European scout Georges Santos, first team scout Adam Clarke and first-team recruitment analyst Dylan Curnell. Potter plans to bolster the size of his recruitment team further. The club recently posted a job advert for a recruitment support analyst. The role entails supporting the first team recruitment department with video analysis, data insights, and artificial intelligence and machine learning integration in scouting operations.
What positions will they be looking at in the summer window?
Following Evan Ferguson’s unconvincing loan spell from Brighton, West Ham remain in the market for a forward. The 20-year-old was not fully fit when he joined in January and failed to score in eight league appearances. He was not in the matchday squad for the last game of the season against Ipswich Town.
Michail Antonio, whose deal expires at the end of June, is unlikely to be offered a contract extension, while Niclas Fullkrug has an uncertain future.
What is the manager’s priority?
Potter is not one to disclose which position he wants to strengthen, but he has stated repeatedly that any potential arrival has to be the right fit.
“As a team, we have to be better, for sure,” said Potter following the victory over Ipswich Town. “I don’t like relying on individuals to dig you out of trouble. I think we as a team need to defend and attack better. We’ve made steps in some areas but, attacking-wise, we can do better.
“Our job now is to improve the squad to make sure the culture and environment that represents this amazing club is there properly and then we can achieve some good things, I think.”
Are there any specific players they are targeting?
The club have identified Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika as one of their top transfer targets. Potter wants to bolster his midfield options, which consist of James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Guido Rodriguez, Edson Alvarez and Andy Irving. Carlos Soler was another alternative, but his loan from Paris Saint-Germain will not be converted into a permanent deal.
West Ham are one of many Premier League teams that want to sign Onyedika this summer. The 24-year-old’s deal expires in the summer of 2027, which does not feature an option to extend. Attackers James McAtee of Manchester City and Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens remain on West Ham’s radar. The club have cooled their interest in Brighton & Hove Albion defender Adam Webster, while their chances of signing Lille duo Jonathan David and Angel Gomes, both of whom are in the final month of their deals, remain slim. The club are still monitoring Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, following Lukasz Fabianski’s release.
Who will they be looking to sell?
West Ham are adamant captain Jarrod Bowen is not for sale. The England international ended the campaign with 14 goals and 10 assists across 36 appearances in all competitions. Bowen has five years remaining on a seven-year deal he signed in October 2023.
West Ham are open to offers for a string of players, including Maxwel Cornet, Emerson Palmieri, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez.
Mohammed Kudus, meanwhile, could attract interest this summer. The Ghana international scored in the 3-1 victory over relegated side Ipswich Town. The 24-year-old attacker has a buyout clause which is only active for the first 10 days of July and is valued at £80million ($108.3m) for European clubs, £85m for Premier League sides and £120m for Saudi teams. West Ham have not received any formal offers for the attacker.
Midfielder Irving could also depart this summer due to a lack of game time. The 25-year-old had interest from European clubs in January but wanted to see out the season. In June 2024, defender Nayef Aguerd joined CanteraSport agency, which also represents Kurt Zouma. The Morocco international has spent this season on loan at Spanish side Real Sociedad. Potter was reluctant to admit whether Aguerd features in his long-term plans ahead of the defeat to Brighton on April 26. Aguerd’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2027.
Will anyone move out on loan?
Youngsters Lewis Orford and Kaelan Casey are set for loan spells in the summer. Casey had interest from EFL clubs in last August but stayed after West Ham opted against signing then-free agent John Egan, who later joined Burnley and then moved to Hull City in January. Potter handed Orford his first-team debut in January against Crystal Palace. The 19-year-old, a member of the 2023 FA Youth Cup-winning side, has mainly played for Steve Potts’ Under-21s.
West Ham are open to loaning out Luis Guilherme so he can gain first-team experience. Last summer’s £25m signing from Brazilian side Palmeiras only made 12 league appearances, totalling 139 minutes.
What sort of budget do they have and what is their PSR position?
Although West Ham are not facing a profit and sustainability (PSR) issue, internally, they have conceded they have to sell before they can buy this summer.
Having spent more than £120m last summer, club sources, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, said they were right up against the wages/turnover cap.
The departures of Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Danny Ings and Fabianski will free up salary space.
All Nigeria Soccer
Confirmed: Versatile Nigerian attacker signs new deal with West Ham
With a statement on the official website, Premier League club West Ham United have announced that versatile Nigerian attacker Elisha Sowunmi has signed a new deal ahead of the 2025-2026 season.
Born on June 1, 2007, Sowunmi, who is comfortable on the left or right flank or as No10., has signed his first professional contract with the Hammers, following a breakout campaign.
The talented forward has been rewarded with a new deal after finishing the season as West Ham U18s top scorer in all competitions with sixteen goals, including fourteen in the U18 Premier League.
Notably, Sowunmi bagged hat-tricks in back-to-back away games against Reading and Aston Villa in U18 Premier League fixtures, while netting a brace on the final day of the season in a 4-2 win over West Brom.
He has been on the books of West Ham since U9 level, rising through the ranks to sign a scholarship deal in 2023.
With his parents in attendance, the contract was signed at Chadwell Heath, the training ground he has considered home for the last twelve years.
Sowunmi provided the game-winning assist as West Ham won the U18 Premier League Cup for the first time in the club's history.
He is the latest long-serving West Ham youth player from the Premier League Cup-winning squad to sign a professional contract, joining teammates Ezra Mayers, Emeka Adiele, Airidas Golambeckis, Jethro Medine and Riley Hargan.
C&H
Silly season starts early as striker interest rubbished
From the multitude of names and reports linking West Ham with a dozen or so strikers in just two days of transfer window operation, it seems clear the silly season is well underway. The Irons are well known to be searching for an Antonio replacement – at the very least – and so stories abound of front men ‘linked’ with the club: Perhaps by publications or just by agents looking to ratchet up their player-client profiles to get a better deal where they are.
One which caught my eye was todays ‘report’ that ‘West Ham were eyeing a move to sign £405k a week forward‘ – their words not mine – suggesting that former Fulham and Anderlecht hitman Alexander Mitrovic would seriously consider leaving pro-League side Al-Hilal this summer where he is earning almost twenty million pounds a year – tax free- to come to West Ham where the highest paid individual is on £150k a week before tax – some £7.8 million.
There are ‘wage cuts’ and ‘wage cuts. Dropping over ten million a year to come to West Ham is just a little too far fetched.
As predicted (but we asked him anyway) our transfer insider, close to business but independent from West Ham, actually laughed out loud as he rubbished the suggestion. ‘No chance‘ would be the best way of summing up that rumour.
Besides, Mitrovic at 30 is hardly an appreciating asset these days although still a phenomenal striker with 68 goals in 79 Saudi Pro-League matches.
In any case, you’d hope that the Irons have learned their lesson from last season’s travails of a trio of thirty-something strikers. Best don’t get your hopes up, West Ham fans, that Mitrovic will be incoming any time soon. Next!