Guido Rodriguez ‘finished’ under Graham Potter as West Ham transfer news emerges. Graham Potter was given just weeks to change the West Ham squad after replacing Julen Lopetegui last month.
Maxwel Cornet was the only senior outgoing transfer, albeit he has started just two Premier League starts over the last two seasons, with James Ward-Prowse returning from The City Ground. The former Brighton and Chelsea boss did get one key transfer before the transfer window slammed shut – Evan Ferguson on a loan deal.
With Danny Ings failing to make an impression at the London Stadium, and Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug on the sidelines, it was imperative that a new striker signed for the second half of the season.
As with all new transfers, some of the focus shifts to the future of the current squad players, and a couple of them will already be looking over their shoulders ahead of the summer transfer window.
Graham Potter begins search for new midfielder
Edson Alvarez has received mixed opinions in East London since arriving in 2023, but Guido Rodriguez on the other hand, has struggled to make any major impact since his free transfer.
With that in mind, it looks as though Potter is already planning to replace the Argentine at the first opportunity, with the Hammers targeting a move for OH Leuven’s talented Ezechiel Banzuzi last month [Jacob Steinberg].
With the Belgian club’s sporting director admitting that the player has now outgrown his current league, the Hammers have been given the perfect opportunity to strike once the summer transfer window opens.
In addition to that, former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker, Marco Verratti, is being linked with a summer move to East London [TBR Football], throwing more doubt over Rodriguez’s future under new management.
The 30-year-old has played just 20 times since arriving from Real Betis on a free transfer, but given his exploits in La Liga, many expected him to hit the ground running.
However, in such a short amount of time, the midfielder has already proven his inabilities in the middle of the park, leaving Potter no choice but to sound out some alternative signings before the window opens.
Banzuzi looks to be an incredible option, given he is just 19 years of age and cruising in the Belgian league. Still, the manager will need to experience another six months of sub-average before making changes.
