A big development has cleared the path for West Ham to sign top target Richard Rios and better still Palmeiras have even named a dirt cheap fee.
There is no doubt Graham Potter needs to make some major changes at West Ham United this summer.
Four wins from 18 games in four months with the Hammers is all the evidence needed of that.
Midfield is indisputably West Ham’s biggest issue.
It is an incoherent mix of players who do not complement each other at all and are sorely lacking in pace, power and creativity.
Potter has failed to convince thus far and the jury is still very much out on the Englishman among West Ham fans.
Potter plans to revolutionise West Ham’s incoherent midfield
But one thing the 50-year-old can’t be blamed for is the woeful composition of the Hammers’ squad.
Potter has already said he wants to trim his 26-man squad right down, saying West Ham are carrying too many senior players.
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The key focus of his rebuild will be central midfield and making it more dynamic, athletic and youthful.
Guido Rodriguez is expected to be offloaded after just one season.
Edson Alvarez is constantly talking up a move away – as recently as last week. The Mexican would be no great loss as he has been poor for West Ham for some time now.
Potter is said to be willing to sell Tomas Soucek to Everton.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Lucas Paqueta will be sold if he beats spot-fixing charges and Carlos Soler will return to PSG as West Ham are not interested in making his loan move permanent.
James Ward-Prowse has been terrible since his return from a disastrous loan spell at Forest and the Irons need so much more than he can offer in the middle of the park.
So it’s clear to see central midfield is a priority area to reinforce.
West Ham have been linked with two elite young central midfield talents in recent weeks.
The club turned to them after it looked unlikely they had any chance of landing Colombian ace Richard Rios.
Big development clears path for West Ham to sign Richard Rios
The Hammers have been heavily linked with Rios since Potter’s arrival in east London back in January.
But Portuguese side Porto were said to have ended West Ham’s hopes by lining up a deal – hence the links to alternative central midfielders.
Now a big development has cleared the path for West Ham to sign Rios and Palmeiras have named a dirt cheap fee to boot.
The all-action 24-year-old star was actually linked with a move to the London Stadium last summer.
But UOL recently claimed he is also at the top of a target list compiled by Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
Photo by MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL/AFP via Getty Images
It’s no wonder either.
Rios has been described as the ‘complete midfielder’.
As you can see in the video above, Rios is a truly exceptional talent and possesses all of the attributes that the Hammers are crying out for in the middle of the park right now.
Rios would be a major upgrade on Alvarez and would finally be a fitting replacement for Declan Rice with power and incredible stamina key features of his game.
Rios is great on the ball too, with dribbling and ball control both top drawer.
Standing at 6ft 2in, he is an imposing figure too.
All the talk in Brazil has been that a deal to take Rios from Palmeiras to Porto was all but done.
Hammers boost as Porto pull out and Palmeiras name cheap fee
But West Ham have now been boosted in their chase of top midfield target Rios as FC Porto have pulled out of the race, according to Inside Futbol.
To further support that claim, Porto are closing in on the signing of Gabriel Veiga instead.
🚨EXCL: 🔵🐉🇪🇸 #LigaPortugal |
❗️Gabri Viega is close to join FC Porto. Advanced talk between the parties. Negotiations is progressing very well.
❌️ Richard Rios from Palmeiras was also on the list but the deal is now off@footmercato pic.twitter.com/i1B4f5wov1
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) May 21, 2025
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As West Ham fans are all too aware, though, the club has to sell players in order to buy.
So Potter will have to spend his budget wisely.
That’s where the story takes an even more positive twist for the Hammers.
Because it is claimed that not only are Palmeiras still ready to cash in on Rios, but they are willing to sell him for just £25m.
That’s not far off what West Ham paid the same club last summer for untested teen Luis Guilherme.
Rios could transform Potter’s engine room overnight – so this could be the best transfer news yet ahead of the window opening in eight days.