Forum | General Discussion

Not only can West Ham offer Keane Lewis-Potter a route one entry to top flight football, but they can also guarantee the Hull starlet European Football, albeit in the Euro Conference League. Lewis-Pottter and his advisors will have watched Jarrod Bowen's imperious rise through the ranks to become an England International, a feat he would probably not have achieved if he had signed for one of the Big Four English teams, and thought "we want some of that!".

Interest in the 21-year-old is very high, as Lewis-Potter enjoyed a really productive 2021/22 season during which he scored 13 goals in 47 appearances. A number of clubs have been watching the player, with some including Brentford and Watford already mooted to have tables bids which have apparently been knocked back.

Wolves are also said to have been showing interest in the player, but it’s West Ham who are currently leading the race for the promising youngster's signature. The Irons’ interest in the player is long standing, David Moyes and Rob Newman are hoping to tie up a deal in the next seven days for the exciting talent who won Hull’s Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Supporters Player of the Year for 2021/22.

The only fly in the ointment, apart from the usual 'interest' now being shown by Newcastle and it's board of stone throwers that they show in just about EVERY potential Hammers signing, is the final price. Having seen how much Bowen is now worth, the chairman of Hull City is determined to get top dollar for his club's most valuable asset. He is obviously forgetting that for every Jarrod Bowen there is a Jordan Hugill or Romelu Lukaku outcome, just waiting to happen!

Should Hammers be pursuing Keane Lewis-Potter with vigour? Most certainly yes, should they get involved in a bidding was with the Toon? Most certainly NO! - Ed

Criminals are often known for wanting to return to the scene of their crimes, David Moyes had an incredibly successful spell as manager of Everton FC, but still seems to like making a return in the form of 'showing interest in' or even buying up their discarded players!

Having recently made one of his rare transfer dealing errors by bringing in and now wanting to get rid of ex-Toffees player Nikola Vlasic from CSK Moscow for an incredibly ridiculous £30 Million plus, Moyes now appears to want to 'bury' himself by signing another Everton dud, this time it is Moise Kean from Juventus.

Kean joined Everton from Juventus on the 4th of August 2019, signing a five-year contract for a fee of €27.5 million, plus €2.5 million in add-ons. The 22 year old instantly struggled with the pace and physicality of the Premier League and was shipped out, on loan back to Juve, the Italian club signed a loan contract for two years with an obligation to buy the striker for €28 million after two years.

Apparently Juve are keen to sign Moise permanently but then want to immediately sell him on, Kean is currently only half way through his two-year loan deal with 'The Old Lady', the Turin club cannot escape their obligation to buy the Italy international at the end of next season for €28 Million.

Now call us suspicious, but something doesn't smell right about several aspects of any impending deal and the club would probably do well to AVOID Kean at ALL costs! The first and most important reason for having serious doubts is the player himself! If he was that good why did Juve sell him? If he was that good why did Everton get rid of him so quickly? and finally If he was that good why are Juve SO desperate to offload him again?

Kean could end up being an excellent addition for the Irons, he is built like a brick outhouse, but plays like one as well! He struggled at Everton but his quality is undeniable and he has youth on his side, but do Hammers need to become Nurse maids in order to bring players in? The answer is an unequivocally No, let someone else take the plunge, Hammers are just NOT rich enough to risk what would be a sizeable fee on a player who has already shown he cannot cut the mustard in the most competitive League in the World. - LN.

PS: Our 'criminals returning to the scene of the crime' reference is in no way intended to infer that David Moyes has criminal tendencies, or has ever been a criminal!

Other clubs sign players in what seems a heartbeat compared to all the huffing and puffing usually associated with signings made by West Ham United, however rather belatedly the club have now landed what fans will hope is their 1st Marquee player, soon to be followed by a raft of further additions.

The need for up to TEN players is extreme so Moyes and Newman will have to get a 'hurry up' o in order to make up the shortfall left by the departure of SO MANY players, a new left back, a central midfielder, TWO additional strikers and the firming up of Alphonse Areola's deal in addition to the signing of Nayef Aguerd from Rennes for a fee believed to be €25 Million initially, but one that could rise as high as €32 Million with performance related add ons.

This is just the start of what will be a crucial recruitment process that is being 100% overseen by David Moyes and Rob Newman, fortunately Hammers majority shareholder David Sullivan is experiencing a 'long lost love affair' that appears to have stopped him from meddling in the club's transfer business, long may it last!

Nikola Vlasic is a classic example of making a transfer MISTAKE, Moyes hasn't made many, but the Croatian has just not made the grade in London and is likely to be shipped out on loan, sooner rather than later. However it should be remembered that the exact details of Vlasic's transfer from Moscow are still shrouded in mystery due to the various sanctions imposed on Russian clubs, it is highly unlikely that West Ham have paid anywhere near the mooted £30 Million original asking price, more like a £5 Million down payment with the rest to follow!

Watch this space! - LN