This summer’s list of ‘targets lost’ – sold elsewhere – is getting as long as the list of ‘rumoured’ links from last summer. [West Ham’s](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-ham-double-down-with-brassic-poverty-claims/) now infamous need to sell before buying means just about every one of the Hammers transfer targets has been snapped up by competing clubs -or has refused outright any interest in heading to east London.
The job in hand is significant. With just two weeks before the first of the summer matches against Manchester United in the USA, West Ham have precisely zero signings to replace their ‘exiteers’. **Coufal, Cresswell, Fabianski, Ings, Soler, Antonio, Ferguson, Kurt Zouma and now Mohammed Kudus have all left.**
Not one has been replaced.
What makes it worse is that West Ham fans claim they’ve seen it all before and fully expect the club to ‘settle’ for a couple of free signings or an overpriced thirty five year old at the end of the ‘window, having been ‘linked’ with endless top talent which ‘they tried’ to land.
News today that the arch-nemesis ‘dithering’ David Moyes is ‘launching’ a bid for another West Ham ‘target’ feels like salt is being rubbed into the ‘Kudus wound. _[Everton.news](https://www.everton.news/everton-steal-a-march-on-west-ham-as-initial-talks-with-30m-players-camp-leave-strong-impression/)_ quote journalist Sebastian Vidal who tweets:
_“Everton have held talks with **James McAtee**’s camp as they look to beat West Ham and Borussia Dortmund to the Man City midfielder. The 22-year-old is open to leaving this summer, and Everton made a strong impression with their long-term project. City value him at £30m.”
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Moyes’ _‘dithering Dave’_ reputation is in danger of evaporating as Everton seek to outrun the ‘tortoise-like’ Hammers who seem to have been interested in McAtee since he was teenager yet don’t seem able to put a serious bid together.
If Everton succeed it will simply give the ever growing, restless and cynical core of West Ham supporters even more ammunition to criticise the recruitment trio of Potter Macaulay and Sullivan.