West Ham United manager Graham Potter personally held talks with one player to tempt him with a move to east London, as more revelations about the club’s winter transfer window continue to surface.
West Ham end January window with Evan Ferguson deal
The Hammers ended January with one major deal over the line – starlet striker Evan Ferguson on a season-long loan from Brighton.
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Exits are still possible as clubs outside the UK look to raid the London Stadium.
The 20-year-old is an exciting and much-needed addition to Potter’s squad, given both Niclas Füllkrug and Michail Antonio’s long-term injuries, and West Ham will be hoping that Ferguson can reproduce his 2022/2023 form which saw him nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year.
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West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures |
Date |
|---|---|
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Brentford (home) |
February 15th |
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Arsenal (away) |
February 22nd |
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Leicester City (home) |
February 27th |
|
Newcastle United (home) |
March 10th |
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Everton (away) |
March 15th |
It has been a frustrating 12 months for the Republic of Ireland international, blighted by injuries and a lack of first-team chances on the south coast, so this switch to London represents a golden opportunity for him to resurrect his career.
Ferguson has received glowing plaudits from the likes of Ian Wright since he burst on to the scene two seasons ago, with the Arsenal legend explaining what West Ham fans can expect from him.
“When you look at him, the way he plays, his appreciation for the game, his movement and finishing both feet, good in the air and good pace,” said Wright in 2023 (as transcribed by HITC).
“He has all the attributes at 18. Very mature in the way he plays. All he has to do is keep doing what he is doing and they are going to start talking about him in million terms because that striker is not allowed. You can’t find that guy to come around, who is 18, in the Premier League and at the perfect club to continue to grow.
“They aren’t going to be able to hold onto that guy if he carries on doing what he is doing. He is too good. So intelligent. He is fearless at 18. Can you imagine being in the Premier League at 18? You’re not under the pressure you would be under like Garnacho would be under at Manchester United – you watch the way he plays, all the top teams, the top six teams. He can play in any of those teams.”
Graham Potter personally convinced Evan Ferguson to join West Ham
According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Potter personally persuaded Ferguson to join West Ham in talks, with the tactican playing a key role in attracting him to the London Stadium.
While his loan deal has no buy-option clause, the rumoured price for a permanent deal is thought to be around £40 million, so West Ham know the current benchmark for if they wish to keep him beyond 2024/2025 and Potter is clearly a big fan.
That being said, if Ferguson impresses in the way Jesse Lingard did when he moved to West Ham on loan in 2021, that price could feasibly skyrocket.
