As West Ham United’s squad finally begins to take shape with the recent signings of Mateus Fernandes, Soungoutou Magassa, and Igor Julio, there is a sense of what could have been for Graham Potter’s team if things had played out differently on September 2nd.
Before splashing out £40 million on Fernandes, West Ham had considered making a move for Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa. However, Ramsey ended up joining Newcastle United instead, leaving the Hammers to pursue other options.
A series of missed opportunities saw Ardon Jashari opt for AC Milan over West Ham, while Douglas Luiz’s wages proved to be a stumbling block as he signed with Nottingham Forest. Linked talents James McAtee and Omari Hutchinson also slipped through their fingers as they found new clubs.
Liverpool youngsters Tyler Morton and Ben Gannon-Doak were also on West Ham’s radar before making moves to Lyon and Bournemouth respectively.
Harvey Elliott was rumored to be a potential replacement for Lucas Paqueta at West Ham, but he ended up joining Aston Villa in a surprising move.
Despite these setbacks, Mateus Fernandes made an immediate impact in his debut for West Ham, impressing fans with his versatile play style. With Fernandes and Paqueta forming a strong partnership, Graham Potter is hopeful that they can continue to build on their early success and achieve their goals for the season.
