Graham Potter is a man with a plan as West Ham’s new prime transfer target is unveiled with bids being readied for three stars he wants to lead his overhaul.
West Ham are plotting a major overhaul of the squad and the influence of Graham Potter and Kyle Macaulay is already clear.
Previously West Ham’s approach to recruitment has been scattergun and incoherent.
The Hammers would lurch from one target to another who would often be a completely different profile of player in the same position.
When West Ham brought Macaulay over from Chelsea in January, he reportedly arrived armed with a dossier of targets for Potter to overhaul the ageing, underperforming squad.
And it is showing.
West Ham have confirmed the midfield and forward line are priorities this summer window.
The Hammers are targeting at least five signings and Potter wants to trim the squad down to 19 or 20 senior pros as he feels the current 26-man squad is too bloated for a team not in Europe.
Hammers News revealed way back in January that Spurs were the favourites to beat them to Angel Gomes.
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But rather than put all their eggs in one basket and lurch to a random alternative, West Ham seem to have changed their approach to recruitment for the better.
Because West Ham’s new prime target has been named ahead of bids for three stars Potter wants signed first.
Potter made a bold Macaulay West Ham transfer claim after signing off the season with a win at Ipswich.
The Hammers boss says his head of recruitment has been ‘very busy’ and that he will now work with him and David Sullivan on an ‘exciting and interesting’ summer revamp.
After a dismal campaign was brought to a welcome end, West Ham’s board have revealed what’s next ahead of window – which opens for three months from Sunday, June 1.
Now a top West Ham reporter has revealed more detail on Potter’s specific transfer plans.
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas has unmasked West Ham’s number one target and two other players the club is pushing to try and sign for Potter.
That man is 24-year-old Club Brugge defensive midfield star Raphael Onyedika.
The Hammers continue to insist they must be clever with their dealings this summer due to PSR restrictions.
One of Macaulay’s briefs in identifying players is that he is looking at younger talents who are in the last two years of their contracts.
Onyedika one of three stars Potter wants West Ham to sign first
The idea being the deals will be cheaper to do and as a result give more scale for future profit too.
That’s exactly the club’s thinking behind a move for Nigerian Onyedika, whose deal expires in the summer of 2027 with no option for it to be extended.
As a result West Ham will be hoping Club Brugge may feel they must cash in this summer.
Other Premier League clubs are interested in Onyedika, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Moises Caicedo.
West Ham are also lining up moves for two players who can bring some flair and guile either side of Onyedika.
Photo by Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Photo by Vincent Mignott/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
According to Thomas, recent links to another star of the Belgian league – Anderlecht’s Mario Stroeykens – are legitimate.
A top Belgian journalist exclusively told Hammers News last week that West Ham look a good next step Stroeykens’ career.
Like Onyedika, Stroeykens’ contract is running down and he will be going into the last year of his contract.
So Anderlecht are facing up to the reality that they must cash in now or risk losing their prized 20-year-old for nothing.
Sacha Tavolieri told Hammers News that means West Ham could get Stroeykens for around £10m.
Super Mario Stroeykens and Man City ace in West Ham’s sights
The third target is someone who has been on the club’s radar from the moment Potter arrived at the London Stadium in January.
Thomas claims West Ham retain interest in signing Man City’s 22-year-old playmaker James McAtee.
Pep Guardiola has admitted McAtee could leave this summer.
Competition will be fierce with as many as 20 clubs interested in the tricky midfield ace.
But few will be as big as West Ham with the offer of being a guaranteed starter.
It is refreshing to see the Hammers not only targeting young, exciting players but being so organised in their transfer planning for a change too.
Now the challenge is getting the deals lined up while simultaneously raising the necessary funds through sales.