We’re over a week into July and West Ham are still waiting to make their first major summer signing.
The reason for that is well documented, as it’s claimed the club needs to sell before it can reinvest in the first team squad due to PSR restrictions.
But it has understandably led to frustration and concern amongst the fanbase, with supporters wary of the amount of work Graham Potter needs to do in the transfer market if he’s to have a squad good enough to compete next season.
It has now emerged that at least four West Ham players have been told they can leave the club this summer, according to TeamTalk.
The main one is Mohammed Kudus, who has reportedly made it clear he wants to join London rivals Tottenham amid a recent bid of around £50m, which was instantly rejected.
The Ghanaian was always expected to leave London Stadium this summer after an underwhelming 24/25 campaign, in which he failed to replicate the levels he reached in his first season in the capital.
His exit is looking more and more inevitable by the day, although the fact that it’s likely he’ll end up at Tottenham is understandably upsetting the fanbase.
Elsewhere, the trio of Niclas Fullkrug, Edson Alvarez and Jean Clair-Todibo have also been told they could be sold if the right offers come in for their services.
Todibo is by far the most surprising inclusion on the transfer list given his move to West Ham was only made permanent on July 1st following his loan spell last season. The Hammers were obligated to buy the Frenchman from Nice for around £33m if they avoided relegation, which they did comfortably.
But it appears Potter has given the green light for the club to seek a potential exit for the 25-year-old who showed his quality in spells last term, but ultimately failed to really live up to the hyper surrounding his initial arrival.
The main surprise surrounding this decision is that it leaves Potter needed even more reinforcements in defence.
Todibo’s exit would leave only Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos as the only senior centre-backs at the club, although it was confirmed by the club earlier this week that young centre-back Kaelan Casey has been promoted to the senior squad ahead of the new season.
Still, with Potter preferring to play with a back-three, it’s likely at least two centre-backs playing in that particular system will need to be signed if Potter is to have enough quality and cover defensively.
Fullkrug and Alvarez’s potential exits are less of a surpirse.
The German international struggled with injuries last season and cannot be relied upon to remain fit for long periods as a result, while Alvarez struggled to hold down a first team spot last season.
