WHU transfer news: 11 targets on the list, truth about Bowen & Paqueta's futures

When the last summer transfer window closed, West Ham fans were filled with optimism after spending more than £100million and a new, highly regarded manager in Julen Lopetegui overseeing them.

That optimism lasted all of five months as the Spaniard was sacked on January 8 with just seven wins from 22 games in all competitions, and a number of the Hammers' big-money arrivals struggling to make an impact.

This summer, after finishing 14th in the Premier League, West Ham must go again and ensure the players they bring in are to manager Graham Potter's tastes.

So what will they do? Who is on their way in? And on their way out? Our West Ham expert JAMES SHARPE answers all the key questions ahead of a pivotal summer.

What do West Ham need this summer?

A complete overhaul. West Ham’s squad is completely unbalanced, too old, and full of players that can’t run for 90 minutes.

Potter has complained his team cannot dominate games with attacking football and much of that is down to a lack of legs in midfield.

West Ham sold Declan Rice for £105m two summers ago and have little to show for it. A midfielder (or two) who can carry the ball and dominate games is a must. Not that they come cheap, mind…

Potter also needs some new strikers. The West Ham fans might love their new cult hero Niclas Fullkrug after he called the team ‘s***e’ but he is not what Potter needs to lead the line: an injury-prone 32-year-old who produced just one sprint in 80 minutes against Brighton.

Potter sees him much more as an impact sub to head in a late barrage of crosses than someone who should be starting. Potter’s reunion with Evan Ferguson on loan from the Seagulls was also hugely disappointing, Danny Ings is leaving and it’s unclear if Michail Antonio will ever be able to play at the top level again after his car accident.

Potter has spent much of his time playing wingers or attacking midfielders up front in Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus or Lucas Paqueta.

He could do with a proper left winger, too. Only the injured Crysencio Summerville prefers that side among his squad and he scored just once in 22 games after joining from Leeds for £25m.

Potter is also likely to need a new goalkeeper with veteran Lukasz Fabianski leaving and questions over whether a) 34-year-old Wes Foderingham can step up as a No 2 and b) Alphonse Areola is good enough as a No 1, especially if Potter wants to play out from the back, after a season summed up by his howler against Nottingham Forest.

A centre back comfortable with the ball at his feet would be welcome. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been a revelation at right back but his deputy Vladimir Coufal is also leaving.

Not much to sort out, then.

How big is their budget and is PSR a major concern?

That’s the thing. Lots needs to be done but without much money to do it. West Ham have spent the best part of £250m on players over the past two years, all signed by different managers or technical directors, and are still left with a squad in disarray.

Getting the wages of out-of-contract players like Fabianski, Coufal, Cresswell and especially Ings off the books will help, but not enough.

‘We have to sell before we buy under PSR rules,’ a senior West Ham source told Mail Sport about the club’s finances.

They are also not helped by the ridiculous situation Potter finds himself in over defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who the club are now obligated to buy for £36m after his loan spell from Nice, despite being signed under a previous manager and by a technical director in Tim Steidten no longer at the club. He is expected to be made available for sale as soon as the deal goes through.

So, their budget will be defined by who they can sell and how much money they get for them. The most saleable asset is likely to be Kudus, who has an £85m release clause, but is unlikely to attract such a fee after a season in which he’s only scored five goals in 32 Premier League games.

Who are they interested in?

Potter insists he will be heavily involved in the recruitment process this summer his head of recruitment Kyle Macauley is already putting together a lengthy list of potential targets.

The Hammers have long admired Lille forward Jonathan David, and held talks with his representatives earlier this year, but David is expected to want to play European football and is believed to have interest from Serie A champions Napoli.

West Ham were eyeing up a move for his Lille team-mate and England midfielder Angel Gomes but he’s pricing himself out of many clubs’ budgets and has interest from Spurs.

This has led to West Ham instead targeting a move for 24-year-old Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika, who has impressed this season in the Belgian leagues.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is of interest but will likely have multiple suitors this summer with a number of clubs like Manchester United and Aston Villa all likely to be in the market for a new keeper.

Brondby striker Mathias Kvistgaarden, 23, who has scored 23 goals in Denmark this term and 21-year-old RB Salzburg front man Karim Konate are both on West Ham’s radar for potential attacking options.

Lugano defender Albian Hajdari and Southampton midfielder Shea Charles are also on their radar.

With uncertainty around potential sales and transfer fees, they are also looking at snapping up free agents if they can. Young striker Daniel Cummings will join from Celtic after signing a pre-contract agreement.

West Ham have interest in Burnley pair Josh Brownhill and CJ Egan-Riley, who are both out of contract and yet to sign new deals.

Midfielder Brownhill has plenty of Premier League experience while 22-year-old Egan-Riley is hugely versatile and can play at centre back, right back or as a defensive midfielder – all positions Potter needs to strengthen – though is believed to have an offer from Strasbourg too.

Which young players could break out next season to fill gaps in the first-team squad?

Potter is keen to lower the age of what was one of the oldest squads in the division and one way he’ll look to do that is by bringing through more youth players.

He’s already spoken to midfielders Freddie Potts and George Earthy, who both enjoyed impressive loan spells at Portsmouth and Bristol City respectively, to tell them he sees them as part of his plans next season.

‘I’ve met them both, they'll come into the squad and provide competition, energy, and enthusiasm,’ said Potter. ‘I think we want that, we need that. I'd love to give those guys opportunities because they've had a good grounding here in the academy.’

Earthy, an attacking midfielder, was named Bristol City’s young player of the season after helping them into the play-offs.

Potts, meanwhile, played a key role in keeping Portsmouth in the Championship. No regular Portsmouth starter played as many progressive passes per league game as Potts, a key area where West Ham have struggled this season. He recently signed a long-term contract.

Young defender Kaelan Casey could be one who makes the step up. The 20-year-old has been on the bench for Premier League games earlier in the season but under Potter has been allowed to focus on captaining the club’s Under 21s.

There had been concerns among the academy that taking him out of age group matches to sit on the bench could have a detrimental effect on his development.

On-loan striker Callum Marshall scored 10 goals for League One side Huddersfield and was named their player of the season but Potter may feel he needs another loan spell, this time in the Championship, before giving him a shot in the first-team. That, you imagine, is the most likely scenario.

Which players are set to leave?

Potter believes he has too many players. He doesn’t want a 25-man squad made up of 25 senior players. ‘We have too much money not on the pitch,’ he said recently. So, there’s a few who he’d like to see make way.

Coufal, Fabianski, Cresswell and Ings are all leaving at the end of their contracts. Antonio’s future is unclear as his deal also expires this summer but the club are happy to give him more time to regain his fitness and assess his options.

Carlos Soler, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, and Ferguson will return to their clubs.

Emerson, Edson Alvarez, Konstantinos Mavropanos could all make way if interest arises. In truth, though, there are hardly any players in the squad that Potter wouldn’t be open to selling if the right bid came in.

Kudus is the one player they hope to get big money for.

The one star name who won’t be going anywhere (unless a truly ridiculous approach comes in) is Bowen. Mail Sport has been told that despite West Ham’s struggles this season, and Bowen’s recent omission from the England squad, the Hammers captain remains happy at the club and wants to push on next season.

Whether Paqueta ever plays for the club again also remains to be seen. The Brazilian stood away from his team-mates as he applauded the travelling West Ham fans after the final game at Ipswich.

Paqueta, who broke down in tears after being booked against Tottenham, has struggled to deal with the wait to find out the verdict of his ongoing spot-fixing trial that could see him banned for life.