Graham Potter, David Sullivan
(Credit: Imago)
Dan Plumley
Thu 13 March 2025 20:40, UK
West Ham United are facing uncertainty regarding their finances ahead of the summer transfer window.
Graham Potter will be keen to strengthen his squad in what will be his first summer transfer window as the West Ham manager after making Evan Ferguson’s loan signing from Brighton his only acquisition in the winter.
However, an Irons spokesperson recently revealed that the East London outfit will have a humble transfer kitty this summer after committing £32million to making Jean-Clair Todibo‘s loan move from OGC Nice permanent.
With the signing of a new striker said to be on Potter’s agenda, the Hammers are prepared to be creative to fund deals for their targets.
Jean-Clair Todibo, West Ham
Todibo is on loan at West Ham. (Credit: Imago).
Dan Plumley reacts to West Ham dilemma
Addressing West Ham’s situation in the wake of the revelation, Dan Plumley has acknowledged that committing to big-money transfers could make other deals difficult, although teams usually plan for as many as six windows.
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The football finance expert explained that including buy obligations in transfer agreements for players gives clubs a bit of leeway in the market even if it comes with a risk of not working out for the buyer.
Speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone, Plumley said: “I think this is where we often want to look at the transfer windows in kind of isolation.
“We’re always talking about this kind of one-year picture, but with obligations like that and the spending in the summer, and also the plans for future windows, the club are actually looking at that on a kind of three-window or a two-to-three-year basis or a six-window basis.
“So that’s what they’ll have been planning for.
“There are a lot of moving parts within that because obviously, your performance on the pitch is going to be part of that budgeting aspect, and that, as we know, can go either way and it’s perhaps not gone the way West Ham would have wanted it to this particular season, given where they’ve been.
Graham Potter
Potter may have limited funds available this summer. (Credit: Imago)
Todibo back in starting XI under Potter
“But, we often tend to focus on one-year hits and often the club will be looking at a much bigger picture, and this is where it can really work for you with those obligations, so you’ve set your stall up and you go, ‘Right, we are going to look to buy that player in the future, and there’s the obligation’.
“But the risk and reward in the transfer market is if it doesn’t quite work out and you’ve got that obligation, it can then kind of change your scenario planning for other options and that’s the point there about the spokesperson saying they might have to get a little bit creative with that.”
It is no surprise that there is uncertainty about West Ham’s finances ahead of the summer transfer window after they spent over £100m last summer.
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Todibo in Premier League 2024-25
Nevertheless, the Hammers will go ahead with their plan to buy Todibo from Nice, having already committed to doing so.
The France international had a tricky start to life at the London Stadium as Julen Lopetegui struggled to get the best out of his squad.
However, he has started in each of the Irons’ last three Premier League games under Potter.
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