West Ham United have now suddenly become serious contenders for the signature of an “exceptional” ace, who plays for a rival Premier League club.
Potter under pressure after torrid start to the season
West Ham couldn’t have gotten off to a much worse start to the new Premier League campaign, suffering a 3-0 defeat at home against Sunderland on the opening day, before being turned over 5-1 at home against rivals Chelsea last Friday.
Speaking after the defeat against the Blues, Graham Potter admitted that both him and his squad need to turn things around soon, saying: “It was too easy to score against us so I take my responsibility and I have to do better. That is the case with all the players. They are honest and want to do more than they are at the moment.”
However, Premier League managers are not often blessed with a lot of time to put things right, so the manager is looking to inject some fresh quality into his squad before the rapidly approaching transfer deadline, with a new midfielder believed to be of interest.
That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Potter wants to bolster his options in the engine room as a result of the poor start to the campaign, with West Ham suddenly now serious contenders to sign Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma.
Tottenham are eager to move Bissouma on this summer, as he has fallen out of favour with Thomas Frank, and the Hammers would be open to a deal if their rivals decide to make the central midfielder available on loan.
Potter knows the Spurs midfielder well, having worked with him during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion, before opting to sell the Mali international to the north Londoners for a fee of £25m.
"Exceptional" Bissouma could reignite career at the London Stadium
There may be some concerns over the signing of the 28-year-old, given that he was publicly criticised by Frank for turning up late several times this summer, but there are indications the former Brighton man could be a solid option for the Hammers.
The Ivory Coast-born maestro was particularly impressive during his time working under Potter with the Seagulls, with Gary Lineker describing him as “exceptional” courtesy of a solid display against Everton.
Not only that, but the Tottenham ace has continued to impress from a defensive point of view over the past year, performing well across some key metrics, when compared to other midfielders.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
3.11 (91st percentile)
Interceptions
1.40 (85th percentile)
Clearances
2.70 (93rd percentile)
As such, should Bissouma become available on loan, he could be a solid addition to West Ham’s squad, with Potter’s side clearly in need of some more defensive solidity, having shipped a whopping eight goals in their opening two Premier League matches.
