West Ham are losing more big personalities this summer and Graham Potter is clearly planning on remedying that if one of his targets is anything to go by.
Graham Potter has made no secret of the fact West Ham need an overhaul this summer.
Both with his words and his actions.
Potter dropped the bombshell that he wants a smaller West Ham squad when talking about his summer plans.
The Hammers boss feels the current squad is too bloated and – like David Moyes before him – believes that is not conducive to a good team spirit.
Potter has also warned certain West Ham players will be sold after refusing to change their ways in his four months at the club.
Personality disorder as West Ham lose more influential characters
The 49-year-old has shown a ruthless streak too of late.
Potter has decided to release three senior leadership figures in Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski as well as Danny Ings.
Cresswell, Coufal and Fabianski have been influential and positive characters in the West Ham dressing room with a combined 23 years of service.
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After successive summer exits of Mark Noble, Declan Rice, Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and losing the likes of Pablo Fornals too, the departure of Cresswell, Coufal and Fabianski leaves a big hole to fill.
Many fans would already argue the team lacks personality and character after a terrible campaign.
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
But it seems Potter is planning to do something about it.
Because West Ham are in talks for the ‘Swiss Casemiro’ who once planted his club’s flag in a rival’s centre circle.
Several other players are also expected to follow the released quartet out of the Hammers exit.
Potter is working with head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay to rebuild the squad around younger, more dynamic talent.
He has also stated on several occasions he wants players with the personality to play for West Ham and live with the expectation of the fanbase.
West Ham in talks for ‘Swiss Casemiro’
West Ham have confirmed midfield and striker signings are the top priority ahead of the summer overhaul.
And talks are already underway to sign 22-year-old midfield ace Ardon Jashari of Club Brugge.
It has been claimed on The West Ham Way that the Hammers are in talks with Jashari’s agent about a move to the London Stadium this summer.
As a player, Jashari is just what West Ham are crying out for.
A ball-playing defensive midfielder, Jashari has been compared to a peak version of Brazilian midfielder Casemiro.
Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images
The Swiss international likes to play penetrative passes from deeper positions, able to find runners in space, something which the current team really lacks – and will even more so with Lucas Paqueta set to leave or face a ban.
In Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, he has a clear role as the left-sided deeper midfielder, able to combine the running and grit of Casemiro with ball-playing abilities to match.
Jashari is a stocky, powerful, tenacious ball-winner.
One look at footage of the Club Brugge star in action shows why Potter wants to reinvent West Ham’s midfield around him.
It is footage of something else Jashari has done which will make West Ham fans want him even more, though.
Hammers target Jashari planted flag in rival’s centre circle
West Ham share a fierce and historic rivalry with Millwall. There is also no love lost between the Hammers and Spurs.
Now imagine West Ham sharing a stadium with one of them and what derby clashes would be like.
The Bruges derby is an intense rivalry between Belgian Pro League sides Club Brugge and Cercle Brugge, who share the Jan Breydel Stadium.
Amid West Ham’s reported talks with Jashari, footage has re-emerged on social media of what he did after the last Bruges derby in March.
Jashari was part of the Club Brugge side who triumphed 3-1 in what was officially an “away” game.
Former West Ham target Hans Vanaken was among the scorers.
Afterwards, Jashari showed the kind of character West Ham would be getting if they signed him.
He took his club’s black and blue flag from the fans, ran across the pitch and planted it in the centre circle, causing a bit of a fracas to break out.
🚨🇧🇪 Tense moment in the Bruges derby this afternoon! 😳
Ardon Jashari sticks a Club Brugge flag on the pitch after a 1-3 victory. pic.twitter.com/6udQMmSCuU
— 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 (@thecasualultra) March 9, 2025
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If West Ham are looking for young, hungry talent with winning mentality and character, they seem to have found the right man.