Graham Potter has broken his silence following the end of the season to speak about his West Ham plans, but notably – and worryingly – avoided the elephant in the room.
West Ham are starting to feel like a powder keg waiting to explode.
An increasing number of fans, journalists and pundits are predicting the Hammers will be fighting relegation next season.
That has been the trajectory the club has been on since January 2024, with West Ham winning just 15 of their 57 Premier League matches in that time.
Something drastically needs to change if the Hammers are to avoid becoming embroiled in a battle for survival, let alone getting back to competing in the top half.
And drastic change means players being shipped out and replaced by Graham Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay in this summer transfer window.
West Ham fans grow restless over transfer inactivity
West Ham have put on record they want at least three to six signings.
Potter promised West Ham fans an ‘exciting and interesting’ summer as the team signed off with a 3-1 win at Ipswich on the final day back in May.
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But one week into the full summer window being open, fan anger and concern has started to bubble to the surface.
As well as pledging to overhaul – and trim down – his squad, Potter said he ideally wanted to be able to work with his new signings in pre-season.
At the time of writing, that is looking increasingly unlikely with players set to report back in less than two weeks – at the start of July.
Supporters have been up in arms at the club’s financial situation.
West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and Daniel Kretinsky
Credit: James Chance/JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images
Potter breaks silence to discuss West Ham plans
West Ham’s board are pleading poverty over PSR and claim £100m plus losses are coming in the next accounts to be published in December.
The Hammers want to sign at least one top new striker and ideally two new midfielders, a centre-back, a new full-back and a goalkeeper.
Much will depend on which players the Irons can ship out and how much money can be raised in doing so.
But while fans are eager for clarity, one major issue was completely avoided when Potter spoke for the first time since the end of the season a month ago.
Speaking about his plans, Potter explained he and his staff have devised a schedule to ensure West Ham are in the best possible shape to attack the new Premier League campaign.
However, there was notably no mention of transfers as Potter laid out his plans – which culminate with a pre-season friendly against Lille before West Ham head up to Sunderland for the 2025-26 season opener.
Not even a line stating that he hopes to have some new players on show. Which some may feel is rather telling given the article is designed to try and help sell tickets for the game.
Hammers boss ignores elephant in the room – transfers
“Our pre-season schedule is geared to building the players up so that they are in the best possible condition when the Premier League gets underway on Saturday 16 August, and a fixture against high-quality European opposition a week beforehand is part of doing that,” Potter said on West Ham’s website.
“We will have had a few weeks of building the players’ fitness levels and have been to America to play against Manchester United, Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League Summer Series, then this game gives us the opportunity to return to London Stadium and play in front of our fantastic fans again.”
All pretty standard official club site soundbites and no real substance to Potter’s update.
West Ham’s board exclusively told Hammers News this week that ‘anything is possible’ when pressed on whether the club can make signings on the basis they know players will be sold.
That was a big change from the usual ‘we can’t buy until we sell’ line trotted out by the Hammers over the last few months.
According to reports Potter and Macaulay have been doing their jobs in identifying a host of targets.
Now it remains to be seen whether majority owner – and de facto director of football – David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady can put deals together to get signings over the line.
If they fail then things threaten to turn toxic very quickly at the London Stadium – the home West Ham fans reluctantly left Upton Park for on the promise of being able to compete with the Premier League’s elite in the transfer market.