A big reason for West Ham’s struggles is that they have never properly replaced Declan Rice but that could be about to change.
West Ham have held talks with Sunderland about their first summer signing according to a top journalist.
With new head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay leading target identification alongside Graham Potter, it looks like first stop Sunderland on the road to rebuilding the West Ham team around top young talent.
It has not taken Potter long to realise West Ham’s midfield is a major issue.
Ageing, slow, immobile and lacking in dynamism and guile, the central midfield needs a complete overhaul.
It is the fundamental reason the Hammers have struggled so badly.
Meanwhile at Sunderland, it is the engine room that has arguably driven their push for promotion back to the Premier League.
West Ham’s midfield struggles can be traced back to July 15th 2023.
Selling Declan Rice had become an inevitability for the Irons.
When he chose Arsenal it stung many fans. So they took great delight in believing some of the £105m had been well spent on Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Guido Rodriguez since.
The fact of the matter is, none of those players are fit to lace Rice’s boots. Even together they do not offer as much as a generational talent like the former Hammers skipper.
Replacing Rice was always going to be difficult.
West Ham went about it the wrong way, though, and neglected to bring in someone who could at least bring Rice’s pace, power and energy to midfield.
West Ham now £10m from finally signing Rice heir
With Potter and Macaulay on board, that could be about to change – and it’s bad news for the Black Cats.
Because West Ham are now £10m from finally signing their Rice heir as a journalist confirms Sunderland talks have taken place.
The Hammers were linked with Sunderland’s England Under 18 star Chris Rigg after Macaulay and Potter arrived in January.
Rigg is labelled as an ‘attacking midfielder’ but the reality is his game is very much high energy, box-to-box.
His dynamism has helped Sunderland push hard for a return to the big time.
The 17-year-old is direct and excellent at carrying the ball forward – just like Rice.
He is more of a goal threat than Rice – at Championship level at least. But it is his tenacious tackling and ability to read the game which is so similar to the former skipper.
Sunderland held on to Rigg in January with promotion on the line.
Other Premier League clubs are now interested too.
But last week it was revealed that Rigg’s family are pushing him towards West Ham, where they believe he will develop best.
That is the pay-off for West Ham of having a manager like Potter, known for developing young players who go on to earn mega money moves to Champions League clubs.
Well it seems the Hammers are at long last closing in on a player to replace Rice’s attributes.
Journalist confirms West Ham’s Sunderland talks over Rigg
That’s according to top journalist Alan Nixon.
Sun reporter Nixon has claimed on his Patreon that West Ham are leading the chase for Rigg.
And a deal is in the offing if Sunderland, who look set for a play-off spot at best, are not promoted back to the Premier League.
Nixon claims West Ham see Rigg as the ‘ideal domestic addition’.
West Ham fans have been sick of their club making low-ball offers for players over the years.
But refreshingly, there is just a £10m gap in valuation after talks with Sunderland.
The Black Cats are said to want ‘around £20m’ for Rigg whereas the Hammers had floated a prospective £10m deal.
Not an insurmountable difference by any means.
