Early indications for West Ham’s transfer targets are concerning, with links to unrealistic names or veteran players — which is not the direction Hammers fans want.
One such example is Eric Dier. West Ham reportedly held discussions with the 31-year-old former Spurs defender, but he has opted to join Monaco on a two-year deal. Dier will leave Bayern Munich on a free transfer this summer.
Meanwhile, the reported interest in Samu Aghehowa appears to have been a “phantom” bid, and both Jonathan David and Angel Gomes have turned down offers from the club. David, in particular, is seeking a Champions League club.
West Ham have also been linked with numerous free transfers. Despite rumours, reports that West Ham have a verbal agreement with Kyle Walker-Peters are inaccurate. The versatile defender is weighing up a number of options, with Fulham currently leading the race.
A more realistic target is C.J. Egan-Riley. Yet despite one great season, there are concerns about whether he is ready to make the leap to the Premier League.
Another potential signing is Brighton’s Adam Webster. The 30-year-old centre-back has made just eleven league appearances this season, but is a player Potter “admires” — leading to inevitable links.
A more complex situation involves Argentinian centre-back Kevin Joel Lomónaco, currently on loan at Independiente from Red Bull Bragantino. Independiente hold an option to buy him in June for €2.88m. The 23-year-old added fuel to the speculation when he told Olga, “I really like the Premier League, it’s what I watch the most. An English League team I like is West Ham.”
There are also claims that Brazilian striker Yuri Alberto has agreed personal terms with West Ham, and that a fee with Corinthians is all that remains. A senior source at West Ham has denied this. That said, Claret & Hugh has spoken to additional sources who confirm that discussions have taken place, and the player remains a realistic target.
After a season to forget, West Ham’s approach to the summer transfer window may unfortunately be heading in a similarly disappointing direction.
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“Compromised
West Ham Need Massive Transfer Hurry-up
If we are to believe the narrative that West Ham are completely skint heading into the summer transfer window, then the onus is firmly on player sales to raise the funds needed for recruitment.
While the news may seem alarming to some supporters, others remain calm — assured that saleable assets like Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paquetá, and Tomas Soucek will generate the necessary cash to rebuild.
However, there’s a major flaw in that plan — one that hinges not just on whether West Ham can sell, but when.
Yes, it’s likely that the Hammers’ most marketable players will attract offers, but there’s no guarantee those bids will arrive early in the window.
Transfers can drag. Targets shift. Clubs haggle. And as anyone who follows football knows, many deals only get done late, often during the final week of the window — sometimes even on deadline day.
That means Graham Potter could begin pre-season without any of his preferred signings, leaving him to work with a squad that may look completely different come September.
Worse still, delays in offloading fringe players could see key targets snapped up by rival clubs, leaving West Ham scrambling for Plan B (or C) options when the dust settles.
It’s currently unclear whether the board might consider shareholder loans or other short-term financial strategies to bridge the gap, but as things stand, the club appears to be relying entirely on sales before we can buy.
And if that’s the case, it could be a long, frustrating summer for West Ham fans.
