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Financial boost for West Ham as interest in midfielder takes an interesting twist, but Potter must move quickly

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West Ham target Richard Rios

Graham Potter needs to overhaul his West Ham squad in almost every department this summer. 

Last season, the Hammers were so disappointing that it seems like almost every player in the squad has been put up for sale.

In truth, it’s only really Jarrod Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka who can consider themselves safe after the English duo impressed while their teammates failed to pull up any trees all campaign.

Bowen scored 14 goals and registered eight assists in all competitions, making it the fourth consecutive season in which the England international has registered 20 or more goal contributions.

Meanwhile, Wan-Bissaka was voted Hammer of the Year by the fans in his debut season in east London.

But the rest of the squad seriously underwhelmed, leaving the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, Niclas Fullkrug, Luis Guilherme, Tomas Soucek and Emerson all being linked with moves away from London Stadium this summer.

One of the biggest issues last season was the midfield, which was often slow and disorganised, lacking shape, pace and creativity.

Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez and Soucek are all very similar players in terms of stature and in their cumbersome nature both in and out of possession, while Paqueta failed to register a single assist all season.

So Potter needs to inject some youth, pace and creativity into his midfield this summer, or risk another season in which his midfield fails to compliment the team’s attacking and defensive play.

However, it’s easier said than done considering the club’s financial situation, in which PSR regulations have essentially led to West Ham needing to sell before they can buy this summer.

Long-time Colombian target up for grabs

Richard Rios

Given the club has been pleading poverty going into this summer, it’s unlikely we’ll see any of the big money moves we’ve become accustomed to seeing in recent transfer windows.

The club will not be able to spend upwards of £50m on a single player without any consequences, which will have made the work being done by Potter and his recruitment team more difficult and frustrating.

One player West Ham have been interested in for some time is Palmeiras’ Richard Rios.

The box-to-box midfielder was linked with a move back in April, while there were also links to the Colombian last summer.

The 25-year-old was previously tipped as the player who could be West Ham’s Declan Rice replacement. The truth is, West Ham’s midfield simply hasn’t been the same since Rice was sold to Arsenal for £105m in the summer of 2023.

So any opportunity to fill that gap with a like-for-like alternative will undoubtedly have West Ham interested.

The thing with Rios is, he reportedly has an £85m release clause, which will have prevented West Ham from turning their interest into a concrete bid.

But Globo‘s Pameiras reported, Thiago Ferri, has recently claimed the Brazilian club is now prepared to let their star midfielder go for just £25m.

Richard Rios in action

That makes a deal far more achievable in West Ham’s eyes, but they will have to move quickly if they’re serious about bringing Rios to the Premier League.

That’s because Nottingham Forest are also keen on the midfielder and are hopeful of hijacking a deal.

The fact Forest can offer European football next season makes that a concerning aspect of any potential transfer tug-of-war that might take place. Both sides have been on very different trajectories over the past few years and Forest would arguably be a more attractive option for Rios should he be in a position to choose his destination in England.

That’s without considering that fact Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, has shown he isn’t shy in splashing the cash – he has signed 102 players since becoming majority shareholder in 2017, 45 of which have come since promotion to the Premier League in 2022.

It’s clear West Ham will be eager to make a number of sales sooner rather than later so they can start getting to work on bringing their targets to London Stadium, otherwise they’re at risk of losing out on players like Rios.

This is going to be a very frustrating transfer window for West Ham.

Mo Kudus’ West Ham exit is imminent as four PL clubs position themselves for bidding war

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West Ham are bracing themselves for a bidding war for Mohammed Kudus.

It’s widely accepted that the Ghana international has played his last game for West Ham as rumours about an exit gather pace in the first few days of the transfer window.

The 24-year-old’s form suffered last season, with just five goals and four assists to his name, which is a significant drop-off from the 14 goals and six assists he registered in his maiden season in the capital.

The Hammers need to balance the books this summer, with PSR rules preventing another transfer window of big spending.

Kudus has an £85m release clause to Premier League clubs in his contract, but that’s only valid for the first 10 days of July and while West Ham are hopeful of achieving a sale as close as possible to that figure, Kudus’ form last season will make it very hard for them to get that in truth.

But recent reports claims West Ham will not accept anything less than £65m following rumours suggesting Tottenham’s Daniel Levy will test the club’s resolve with an opening bid of £50m.

Quartet of clubs prepare for Kudus bidding war

Mo Kudus West Ham

According to The Guardian, Chelsea and Manchester United are the most keen on securing Kudus’ services.

United need to add goals to a side which finished 14th last season with just 44 goals scored, their lowest scoring Premier League season on record. Meanwhile, Chelsea want to bolster their attacking options after deciding against making Jadon Sancho’s loan spell permanent.

Both clubs have allegedly opened a dialogue with West Ham over a potential agreement but are yet to make a formal offer.

It’s claimed Man United had suggested Jadon Sancho could be included in a possible deal but West Ham are not interested in the England international. A similar proposal has been made by the Blues, who reportedly offered up to four players West Ham might be interested in, but West Ham made it clear they want an outright sale in order to maximise the amount they can reinvest in to Graham Potter‘s squad.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have also shown an interest in signing Kudus this summer and have discussed a move internally, according to The Athletic.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed earlier this month that the Magpies can afford to move for Kudus and potentially see him as a cheaper alternative to Bryan Mbeumo who is currently their top target this summer.

Spurs are the fourth club who hold an interest amid rumours Heung-min Son could be on his way out this summer, but it’s widely known that the Hammers would prefer to avoid doing business with their London rivals, making a move to north London an unlikely scenario for Kudus at this time.

Kudus and Potter

With several elite Premier League clubs lining up to register their interest in the Ghanaian, three of which are competing in Europe next season, West Ham will be bracing themselves for a bidding war anytime soon.

A bidding war is the perfect scenario for David Sullivan and the Hammers hierarchy as it will allow them to drive the price up as close to Kudus’ release clause as possible.

That will ultimately lead to Potter having more transfer funds spend on a squad which needs a serious level of investment if it is to be ready in time for West Ham’s first game of the new Premier League season against Sunderland.

Italian Media: West Ham ‘in the mix’ for midfielder who had ‘total agreement’ to sign elsewhere

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West Ham corner flag

West Ham will need to sign at least two midfielders this summer.

The Hammers’ midfield under both Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter was one of the largest issues in what was overall a very disappointing season.

And with Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta and Edson Alvarez all being linked with various moves away, Potter will have to be active in the midfielder market to not only replace those who eventually leave but also strengthen an area in the squad, which has grown significantly weaker over the past couple of seasons.

It’s still so early on in the window and it would be wrong to be concerned about a lack of concrete movements in the transfer window, but there are obviously concerns about how much business that might need to be done by the time Potter’s side take on Sunderland on the opening day of the Premier League season.

And then there are also concerns about PSR regulations forcing the club into having to sell before they can buy, which could slow down deals the club are hoping to get over the line.

As a result, most of the reports out there at the moment involve rumours and alleged interest in players, as opposed to actual offers.

But the club may have been handed a boost in their hopes of securing the services of one midfield target this summer.

AC Milan to to ‘rekindle contact’ with West Ham

Yunus Musah

It was claimed in Italy last week that West Ham were set to miss out to Serie A champions Napoli in the race to sign AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

It was believed Napoli were in advanced talks to sign the USA international, while Fabrizio Romano said in X earlier in June that there had been a ‘total agreement’ in place between Napoli and the player, with the contract ready to be signed once the clubs agreed a fee.

But things have slowed since then, with TuttoSport reporting that a transfer fee is yet to be agreed between the clubs.

The report suggests West Ham are now firmly back in the race for the 22-year-old’s services, with AC Milan ‘expected to rekindle contacts’ with West Ham over a potential move to east London, with there being confidence the Hammers can be tempted into making a bid.

Milan reportedly want a ‘profitable transfer,’ which is believed to be in the region of €25m, including add-ons and bonuses, a fee West Ham are allegedly comfortable with.

In other news, a journalist has revealed what he’s heard about Lucas Paqueta’s trial as West Ham nervously wait for a verdict.

West Ham’s 25/26 Fixtures: Graham Potter handed tough Premier League start

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West Ham 25:26 Premier League fixtures

The fixtures for the 2025/2026 Premier League season have been released and West Ham have been handed a tough opening few weeks of the new campaign.

Graham Potter‘s Hammers will open the season with a trip to newly promoted Sunderland, who are back in the top-flight after an eight-year absence, on Saturday 16th August.

Following that, West Ham will host London rivals Chelsea in their first game at London Stadium on the weekend commencing August 23rd.

That’s a tough start at home against the newly crowned Conference League champions, but it doesn’t get easier after that. West Ham then travel to Nottingham Forest before hosting Europa League champions Tottenham in the first game back after the September international break.

Potter’s side then play FA Cup holders Crystal Palace at London Stadium before their first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium to take on David Moyes’ Everton.

That rounds off a very tough opening six fixtures for Graham Potter, who will be under immense pressure to get West Ham off to a good start following a disappointing 24/25 season.

West Ham won just one of their opening six Premier League fixtures last term – a 2-0 away win at Crystal Palace – in a similar difficult run of fixtures which included games against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Chelsea.

West Ham’s run-in isn’t much easier. The Hammers will play Crystal Palace (A), Everton (H), Brentford (A), Arsenal (H) and Newcastle (A) before hosting Leeds on the final weekend of the season.

West Ham’s key 25/26 Premier League fixtures

Saturday 16th August 2025 – Sunderland (A)

Saturday 23rd August 2025 – Chelsea (H)

Saturday 13th September 2025 – Tottenham (H)

Saturday 27th September 2025 – Everton (A)

Saturday 4th October 2025 – Arsenal (A)

Saturday 29th November 2025 – Liverpool (H)

Wednesday 3rd December 2025 – Manchester United (A)

Saturday 20th December 2025 – Manchester City (A)

Saturday 17th January 2026 – Tottenham (A)

Saturday 31st January 2026 – Chelsea (A)

Wednesday 11th February 2026 – Manchester United (H)

Saturday 28th February 2026 – Liverpool (A)

Saturday 14th March 2026 – Manchester City (H)

Saturday 25th April 2026 – Everton (H)

Saturday 9th May 2026 – Arsenal (H)

Sunday 24th May 2026 – Leeds United (H)

*Fixtures subject to change

‘At the very least…’ – Journalist explains what he’s heard about Lucas Paqueta’s court case, West Ham will be nervous

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Lucas Paqueta

Lucas Paqueta‘s spot fixing case has been rumbling on for almost two years now. 

The Brazil international was charged by the FA in May 2024 following a 10-month investigation. After a string of delays, his trial concluded earlier in June and the player was told he must wait four to eight weeks for a decision.

The midfielder’s charge is in relation to four counts of deliberately getting a yellow card to influence betting markets, and two further charges of failing to cooperate with the investigation.

Paqueta has insisted he is innocent from the very start and West Ham have stood firmly behind the 27-year-old in their support.

“I am extremely surprised and upset that the FA has decided to charge me,” Paqueta said in his only public comment on the case shortly after the charge was made.

“For nine months I have cooperated with every step of their investigation and provided all the information I can. I deny the charges in their entirety and will fight with every breath to clear my name.”

It is alleged that Paqueta sought to be deliberately booked in four different matches in order to affect betting markets in his home country, with friends and family reportedly being the beneficiaries.

With the case now closed, both Paqueta and the club are patiently waiting for an outcome so that they can move on and continue planning for the future.

The case has cost West Ham and Paqueta millions

Paqueta and Guardiola

When the FA’s original investigation was made public, Paqueta was about to be sold to Manchester City for £80m. Indeed, the transfer was subsequently cancelled as a result and the former Lyon player remained in east London.

Ever since, Paqueta’s form has been impacted, especially since he was charged. Last season, the Brazil international failed to register a single assist and scored just five goals in all competitions.

Meanwhile, West Ham have been left frustrated that they have been unable to make a healthy profit on the £51m they paid for Paqueta’s signature in the summer of 2022.

That frustration will have reached boiling point this summer as they find themselves in a situation where PSR regulations are forcing them to sell before they can buy.

It means the outcome of Paqueta’s case will have a significant impact on what West Ham can do in terms of transfer activity over the next two months.

There has been mention of a possible lifetime ban if Paqueta is found guilty. If that is the result, then West Ham will obviously be unable to cash in on the midfielder and will ultimately lose a valuable asset in the process.

It’s believed West Ham want to sell Paqueta this summer to raise funds Graham Potter’s West Ham rebuild.

Good news on the horizon for West Ham and Paqueta

Lucas Paqueta celebrates

Transfer insider and journalist Graeme Bailey has given a very positive update on Paqueta’s situation, which gives hope to West Ham that there will be a happy ending after all.

While speaking to TBR Football about West Ham’s financial issues this summer, Bailey said: “Lucas Paqueta will found out within two weeks about his court case, but we’re fully expecting him to be exonerated or at the very least he’ll be able to play Premier League football next season, hence he’ll be able to move.”

That is the perfect outcome for all involved if true, although West Ham will be very nervous about the outcome.

While it is very unlikely West Ham will be able to demand the £80m they were set to receive two summers ago, there is hope they can at least recoup what they paid for him initially and break even.

Due to PSR, they will want to avoid making a heavy loss on Paqueta so that would be the ideal outcome for all involved.

If it all plays out that way, then Paqueta will likely join a long list of first-team players who are expected to leave London Stadium this summer, including Mohammed Kudus and Tomas Soucek.