West Ham have reunited transfer guru Kyle Macauley with Graham Potter and it is starting to show already it seems.
It is the worst kept secret in football that West Ham are looking to sign a striker and midfielder in the January transfer window.
But a centre-back is fast emerging as a priority for new Hammers boss Graham Potter too.
Majority owner David Sullivan has taken back control of West Ham’s transfer dealings.
Sullivan has made it clear he was not happy with some of the business done by Hammers technical director Tim Steidten in the summer.
The German is now looking set to depart the London Stadium.
Especially after the arrival of Kyle Macauley from Chelsea.
The talent spotter has worked with Potter at every one of his clubs.
Now Potter and Macauley have been reunited in east London.
Hammers News revealed the fee West Ham agreed to pay Chelsea for Macauley.
The pair have only just been reunited this week, but Macauley is said to have been making plans for his arrival at the London Stadium having been aware the move would happen since Potter’s appointment.
And it shows.
West Ham close to first signing but Potter snubs reunion
Although a striker and midfielder were top priorities, the long-term absence of Jean-Clair Todibo has pushed signing a centre-back up the agenda.
Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman have failed to convince as a partnership too.
Hammers News understands that another Potter reunion could be on the cards.
Because a top source inside the club has revealed West Ham have held preliminary talks with Brighton for centre-back Adam Webster.
The Seagulls are said to be willing to sell and for a reasonable fee.
While the name may not excite Hammers fans, Potter is a huge fan of Webster.
And he believes the 30-year-old will be the ideal third-choice centre-back for the medium to long-term.
The move draws similarities to West Ham’s move for Craig Dawson under David Moyes. And West Ham fans are well aware how that worked out after initial scepticism.
While West Ham consider a move for Webster, another deal is very much in the offing now.
West Ham are close to their first signing as Potter snubs a reunion in a major 8-player transfer update.
Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg has reaffirmed West Ham’s new boss wants a striker, midfielder and defender.
Major 8-player transfer update: Webster, Banzuzi and Disasi
And he claims Potter is close to landing a midfielder.
Steinberg states a deal for 19-year-old OH Leuven midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi is now close after conflicting reports in the last 24 hours.
The powerhouse Dutch midfielder looks to have all the attributes West Ham are missing.
His capture will be a coup amid interest from Monaco and others.
Six further players have been mentioned in Steinberg’s latest update too.
The reporter has doubled down on West Ham’s interest in Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil.
The move is a new one on the Hammers’ radar and seems to have emerged from the appointment of Macauley.
Steinberg says West Ham are showing a willingness to invest in talent for the future.
Although the Hammers are trying to fend off former boss David Moyes to sign Neil.
In his update, it is also claimed that Webster’s Brighton teammate Evan Ferguson remains a target if he is to be loaned out.
West Ham retain interest in Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, RB Leipzig’s André Silva and Strasbourg’s Emanuel Emegha for the striker position.
Meanwhile it has been revealed that Potter has actually snubbed the chance to sign Chelsea defender Axel Disasi on loan.
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