Graham Potter has sent an unconvincing message to David Moyes following Everton’s official bid for a top West Ham star.
After beating West Ham to a host of mutual transfer targets, David Moyes has set Everton’s sights on two Hammers stars.
Jack Grealish, Thierno Barry, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyler Dibling were all heavily linked with the Hammers before signing for the Toffees.
West Ham’s board explained why they snubbed Jack Grealish after initially rivalling Everton for his signature.
New Toffees hero Grealish has instantly made the Hammers owners look foolish.
Everton linked with two West Ham stars before deadline
Now West Ham’s dismal start to the new season has sent the hierarchy into meltdown.
Only West Ham and Sheffield United have lost their first three games of the season across all 92 English Football League clubs.
It is clear the Hammers top brass believe they will be relegated if a raft of new signings don’t arrive.
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With West Ham desperate to raise funds and making an unprecedented number of transfer bids in the last 72 hours, further departures are expected.
Guido Rodriguez, Emerson Palmieri and Andy Irving have been linked with moves away to make it 12 departures this summer transfer window.
Lucas Paqueta in action for West Ham
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
But two high profile Hammers stars have also seen their futures in question – with Everton interested in both.
Moyes has been linked with a move for Tomas Soucek ever since he returned to Everton.
Now Everton have registered an interest in his midfield partner Lucas Paqueta too.
The Scot hails Soucek as one of the best signings of his managerial career.
But the big Czech has found himself out of the team a lot under Graham Potter.
Potter’s unconvincing message to Moyes after Everton bid
After a summer of speculation about a Moyes and Soucek reunion at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, an official bid went in over the weekend.
Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg claimed West Ham rejected Everton’s opening offer for Soucek.
“Am told Everton have had a bid turned down for Tomas Soucek,” Steinberg, who has strong contacts inside West Ham, said on X.
Hot on the heels of that bid came a move for Paqueta.
After holding talks over the bid for Soucek, Moyes also registered Everton’s interest in West Ham star Paqueta.
Tomas Soucek celebrates scoring in West Ham's defeat to Wolves
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
West Ham have confirmed interest from Spurs and Villa in Paqueta, offering no guarantees he won’t be sold if his valuation is met.
It was claimed overnight the Hammers are in advanced negotiations for Paqueta’s potential replacement.
Ironically both Everton targets Soucek and Paqueta scored in West Ham’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Wolves.
That prompted questions to Potter over the interest from the Toffees.
And Potter has sent an unconvincing message to Moyes after Everton’s bid for his West Ham star.
The Athletic’s West Ham reporter Roshane Thomas was in the press conference to grill Potter after West Ham’s latest defeat.
There was plenty to discuss given the Hammers’ start to the season, Everton’s interest in their two goalscorers and the crazy number of bids being made by the club for signings.
Potter more hopeful than certain Soucek won’t join Everton
When Potter was asked about Soucek’s future following the interest from Moyes, he said he wanted the towering Czech to stay.
But he did not sound 100 per cent emphatically convinced that would happen, using the words ‘I can’t see’ rather than more assured language.
“Tomas is incredibly important for us,” Potter told the press, as reported by Thomas.
“You see his qualities and what he brings to the team.
“I can’t see him going anywhere.”
That is not the response of a man who knows Soucek is going nowhere.
If Moyes is listening to that, who could blame him for instructing Everton’s owners to make another bid.
As a manager you should know whether a key player is staying or going at this stage of the window.
Of course a club could make an offer that’s too good to turn down for any player.
But Everton’s interest in Soucek is nothing new and the player has made it clear he wants to stay.
So that should be the end of it.
With Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa on his way in at West Ham and more midfielders to follow, perhaps it is clear why Potter can’t offer firmer reassurances over Soucek.
So it won’t be at all surprising if Everton make a second attempt in the coming days.