West Ham United could return for a familiar transfer target in the summer window despite claims that a move to Premier League and London rivals Crystal Palace is imminent.
As Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell prepare to depart the London Stadium, and given that West Ham are reportedly open to selling Emerson Palmieri, full-backs on either side will be high on Graham Potter’s wishlist between now and the end of August.
Experienced duo Coufal and Cresswell will leave when their contracts expire, alongside Danny Ings and Lukasz Fabianski. This means West Ham United are already one right-back and one left-back down compared to this time last year.
Ollie Scarles is hoping to step into Cresswell’s shoes on the left, the youngster picking up the club’s Young Hammer of the Year award after a breakthrough season under Potter.
But while Aaron Wan-Bissaka has a starting berth nailed down on the opposite flank, Coufal’s departure leaves West Ham short of right-sided alternatives.
But this is where Bright Osayi-Samuel could come in.
Photo by /BSR Agency/Getty Images
Photo by /BSR Agency/Getty Images
West Ham United eye Fenerbahce’s former QPR ace Bright Osayi-Samuel
Football correspondent Graeme Bailey, speaking exclusively to Hammers News, reveals that the Fenerbahce flyer is one name to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.
West Ham are long-time admirers of Bright Osayi-Samuel. The 27-year-old Nigeria international was first linked back in January 2021, while playing down the road at London neighbours Queens Park Rangers.
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Osayi-Samuel was a swashbuckling winger back then. Becoming the talk of the Championship after a couple of stunning solo efforts Ryan Giggs in his Manchester United heyday would have been proud of.
Four years on, Osayi-Samuel has been remodelled into an all-action right-back over in Turkey. The Blackpool graduate has made 37 appearances this season under Jose Mourinho in the yellow and black of Fenerbahce, though his contract is due to expire in a matter of weeks.
And while reports from Turkey claim that Osayi-Samuel is set to join Crystal Palace on a four-year deal worth £72,000-a-week – per Fotomac – Bailey insists that any negotiations with the FA Cup winners are not done yet.
As such, the door remains ajar for West Ham to make a move of their own.
Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
Osayi-Samuel would add ‘blistering pace’ to Graham Potter’s squad
Extremely quick, positionally flexible and a fine ball-carrier, West Ham may be tempted by the idea of bringing in a proven free agent with plenty of English football experience.
Funds are tight at the London Stadium at the moment, after all, while much of Potter’s budget is likely to be spent addressing more pressing concerns.
“I’m not sure many teams have that blistering pace,” Osayi-Samuel’s former QPR boss Mark Warburton once said after he bagged a brace in a 6-1 hammering of Cardiff City alongside potential future Palace teammate Ebere Eze.
“He’s got that sheer pace which terrifies defenders and, when he uses it wisely, he looks a real handful. It’s good for the crowd to see a player who gets them off their seats.”
West Ham have been linked with Werder Bremen’s Felix Agu as well, although the release clause in his contract is due to expire as soon as next week.
Back in April, Hammers News reported that West Ham had agreed terms with Kyle Walker-Peters on a prospective £75,000-a-week contract. The two-footed Southampton ace has plenty of alternative options available to him, however, with Chelsea and a Champions League-bound Tottenham Hotspur both offering European football.