Potter's squad has gotten weakerplaceholder image
Potter's squad has gotten weaker | Getty Images
West Ham could be set to lose another of their best players.
West Ham could be about to lose another key player as they attempt to put a nightmare start to the campaign behind them. The Hammers have lost all three of their games so far, including two league games and a cup outing, conceding 11 times along the way.
Graham Potter will have been desperate to get off to a strong start after a difficult first few months in charge last season, but it has been anything but. He has not been helped, though, and the situation could now get worse.
Potter knew he needed new signings to make this squad his own this summer, but not only have signings been very few and far between, but the Iron have also lost star man Mohammed Kudus, and another one of their top players in Lucas Paquetá could be set to leave to join a Premier League rival.
Fabrizio Romano has posted on X: “Understand Aston Villa are closing in on Lucas Paquetá deal with West Ham! £47m package including loan fee, obligation to buy and add-ons. Paquetá has accepted #AVFC move, keen on project and ready to join. Here we go, expected soon.”
He then added: “More on Lucas Paquetá. Aston Villa bid for £47m total package on the table with player keen on move. No final green light to proceed from West Ham at this point as #WHUFC still hope to keep Paquetá. Potter has requested not to sell the Brazilian while Villa are pushing.”
West Ham in a sticky situation
West Ham are now in an incredibly sticky situation. It already feels as though there may be too much momentum for Potter to turn things around, and much of that is because of the lack of business this summer.
El Hadji Malick Diouf, Callumm Wilson and Kyle Walker Peters may be decent signings, but there is no one to replace Kudus who, along with Jarrod Bowen, was one of the few real sparks in this team. Aside from Bowen, Paquetá is arguably the only other player with elite quality, and now there is talk of him leaving.
The Hammers may be in a tough situation with Paquetá in that he is likely to be pushing for an exit having been linked with moves in recent years. In his mind, he is choosing between European football and likely playing for a bottom half club at the London Stadium.
But if he is allowed to leave without West Ham having a quality replacement ready to go, there will be serious questions asked of the West Ham board. This has already happened with Kudus, who will probably end up being replaced by Raheem Sterling or someone along those lines.
And for West Ham to also downgrade the number 10 role with Paquetá, there has to be deep concern not only for Potter’s future, but for where this team is headed. The Hammers were fortunate last season in that the bottom three weren’t able to put up any sort of fight, and if that is different this season, if there is a genuine relegation battle, West Ham are very likely to be part of that if they don’t pull their finger out in the final hours of the transfer window.
This Iron side is not in a position where the board can afford to save money. As things stand, it is going to be a case of spending to avoid a serious relegation battle.
Continue Reading