Picking through the bones of the fallout from Mohammed Kudus’ transfer from West Ham, there was a quote that really caught my attention.
“The manager [Graham Potter] doesn’t believe Kudus is better than Bowen on the right wing and doesn’t believe he can play through the middle in the Premier League.”
Those were the words from a top club source, and they were easy to miss amidst the chaos. Make no mistake—West Ham are fully aware of just how badly this deal has gone down with the fans, and the hierarchy are very much engaged in damage limitation mode.
Most Read on West Ham News
That said, I do believe the quote is a fair reflection of what Graham Potter thinks of Kudus, and I’m fairly certain he signed off on the transfer. But as always, the devil is in the detail—and I can’t help but wonder whether signing a new creative midfielder is now top of Potter’s list.
We keep hearing that the Hammers are after two midfielders, but at least one of them must be capable of unlocking a defence. Soucek, Ward-Prowse and Alvarez all have their strengths, but threading through-balls and laying on assists is not one of them.
Presumably the left-sided attack will be covered by Summerville or Guilherme, and Lucas Paquetá can’t be factored into any long-term plans for obvious reasons.
With the club all but confirming yesterday evening that a number 10 is high on the transfer priority list it does pose the question as to where the Hammers creativity will come from next season. Then there is the widely accepted belief that West Ham desperately need an athlete to compete in the fast paced Premier League.
Therefore, it’s safe to assume that the two midfielders will be a playmaker and a box to box runner which leaves the question . . . what will West Ham do with Soucek, Ward Prowse, Alvarez, Rodriguez, Irving Potts & Orford?