The West Ham board have reportedly been left ‘staggered’ by Graham Potter and Kyle Macaulay’s decision to snub a proven Premier League performer.
With the player seen as a smart and ready-made addition who can hit the ground running, the move has caused serious surprise behind the scenes at the London Stadium.
West Ham fans are getting agitated at the lack of signings in the summer window so far.
The Hammers board are keen to stress the full window – which “re-opened” on June 16th, is just 10 days old.
West Ham have told fans ‘not to panic’ over transfer inactivity.
But supporters argue the club should have taken advantage of FIFA’s specially extended window, which opened in June 1 for 10 days, given the rebuild needed at West Ham after a dismal 18 months.
At the press conference for his unveiling in January, Graham Potter said West Ham’s ambition and size was the reason he finally decided to accept a job offer after 20 months out of the game following his sacking by Chelsea.
Potter still on the starting blocks for crucial West Ham rebuild
There has been no sign of any ambition up to now with Evan Ferguson on loan being Potter’s only transfer deal thus far.
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The Hammers boss has put it on record he wants to reshape the West Ham team around young, exciting players.
Potter also wants to change the culture and mentality at the club – something he feels younger, hungry players and a thinner squad will help with.
Signing a quality new striker and overhauling a stodgy midfield are the top priorities for the manager and his head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
Celtic teen striker sensation Daniel Cummings and emerging French powerhouse midfielder Mohamadou Kante will officially become West Ham players on Tuesday.
But both will start off as squad players next season.
In the meantime the search – and wait – goes on to get deals in place for Potter’s revamp.
West Ham United FC v Southampton FC - Premier League
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The striker situation could have been taken care of by now, though, it seems.
Because the Hammers were offered a top, proven top flight goalscorer on a plate.
However, the West Ham board were left ‘staggered’ after Potter and Macaulay snubbed the Premier League star.
The board recently confirmed West Ham aren’t in talks to sign either Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Callum Wilson.
The pair were deemed too injury-prone to take a gamble on – even on free transfers.
Last month it was claimed West Ham were offered the chance to sign Brentford star Yoane Wissa in a cut-price deal.
But there has been a big twist to this particular transfer tale.
West Ham board ‘staggered’ Potter and Kyle snubbed star Wissa
DR Congo star Wissa was the Premier League’s sixth top scorer last season with 19 goals.
In fact he has notched 31 goals in his last 69 top flight games for Brentford.
Wissa is entering into the last 12 months of his contract at the Gtech and there has been no indication he will extend his stay.
The reports last month claimed Brentford and the player’s agents had offered the forward to West Ham, knowing they are on the lookout for a new forward.
It was claimed that the Hammers board turned the deal down because Wissa, at 28, is “too old”.
That sparked anger among some West Ham fans who feel Wissa would be a clever addition at the right price and ideal for Potter’s style of play – which involves the forwards pressing high up.
Many supporters hit out at the board, feeling they were denying Potter a top solution for the striker issue.
West Ham’s owners responded to those Wissa claims at the time, stating it was ‘not true’ they turned him down.
West Ham United FC v Brentford FC - Premier League
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Now it turns out they didn’t.
That’s according to a top transfer source who is close to West Ham’s dealings.
Speaking to Hammers News, the source claims it was actually Potter and Macaulay who ultimately snubbed the potential opportunity to sign Wissa.
The decision, according to the source, left West Ham’s board ‘staggered’.
But the source told Hammers News both Potter and Macaulay ‘like Wissa’s stats’ and held talks with his people but, after much deliberation, decided he was ‘too old for their project’.
The Hammers boss and his recruitment guru felt Wissa ‘didn’t fit with the profile’ they want to bring to West Ham.
Crucially, though, the information was not being shared as a criticism of Potter and Macaulay – rather the complete opposite.
While some may question the decision, it shows Potter and Macaulay have a very clear vision of what they want to do at West Ham.
Potter is finally forcing West Ham to think about the future
Fans have been calling out for the club to have a coherent plan that means West Ham can build a team that can grow and is future-proof rather than lurching from one crisis or rebuild to another.
Potter and Macaulay did not dismiss Wissa out of hand by any means.
But supporters should be enthused that they want to build something more substantial than quick fixes to buy time.
It proves the manager cares about what West Ham will look like in five years time and not just the here and now.
Of course Potter will have to get the latter right if he is to remain in the job long-term himself.
It also shows Potter is very much his own man when it comes to transfers because it was a deal the board were interested in.
That in itself will earn the manager respect and credibility with the supporters.
The key now will be whether Potter and Macaulay can get a deal in place to sign the younger profile of striker they desire.
Nice’s Evann Guessand, Brondby’s Mathias Kvistgaarden and Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha are among those the duo are allegedly interested in.