West Ham’s desperate hunt for firepower has never felt more urgent.
The Hammers looked utterly toothless in their opening day humiliation at Sunderland, where Niclas Füllkrug barely got a sniff and new signing Callum Wilson, who came off the bench late on, unable to make any kind of impact.
With club-record scorer Michail Antonio shown the door this summer and Mohamed Kudus sold to Spurs, the burden now falls on the shoulders of ageing Wilson — and given his fitness record, that hardly screams long-term solution.
Graham Potter knows he needs firepower — and fast.
But speaking ahead of Friday’s clash with Chelsea, the boss made it clear West Ham are shopping within their means, not swinging for the fences.
Potter Rules Out Isak Move
Alexander Isak is the talk of the town right now. (REUTERS)
Alexander Isak is the talk of the town right now. (REUTERS)
Alexander Isak’s summer transfer saga has been one of the stories of the window, with the Newcastle striker heavily linked to Liverpool and making his unhappiness clear.
But while fans might fantasise about Potter swooping in for the “world class” striker, the manager has poured cold water on that notion.
“It’s about the right player, the right profile, the right person,” Potter explained when asked about West Ham’s transfer business. “And that isn’t easy to do, especially with financial restrictions.”
“It’s not like we can go for Isak,” he said. “We have a certain market and that’s fine.”
The Isak name-drop wasn’t a serious suggestion — more a reminder of the reality facing the Hammers. They’re not competing with Europe’s elite for £80 million forwards. Instead, Potter has to be smart, frugal, and opportunistic.
Whether that strategy unearths the goals West Ham so desperately need is another question entirely. But one thing’s for sure: anyone expecting a marquee name like Isak to rock up in Stratford this summer is going to be sorely disappointed.