Graham Potter has not been left with any doubt about his managerial ability after making a poor start to the season but he has warned West Ham will struggle to improve if they do not learn from previous mistakes in the transfer market.
Potter, who is looking for a response from his players in Friday evening’s home game against Chelsea, inherited an ageing squad after his appointment as manager in January. He is urgently looking for reinforcements after losing 3-0 to Sunderland last Saturday but West Ham have not landed many of their top targets and found a tight budget limited by the difficulty of selling players who are on lucrative long-term deals.
There is hope that the club, who are paying the price for ill-advised spending sprees in recent summer windows, will be able to sign two midfielders after agreeing to send Edson Álvarez on loan to Fenerbahce. But Potter, who works closely with his recruitment chief, Kyle Macaulay, stressed that he will avoid quick fixes after being asked if he is worried about a lack of depth in several key areas.
“We need a few silver bullets, not just one,” the former Chelsea manager said. “We analyse where we think the improvements can be and then we have to try to work within the financial position of the club to make the right decision to bring the right player and the right person here. If I look historically, West Ham have spent money, have signed players. Signing players is easy. It doesn’t mean that they’re going to be the right ones.
“It doesn’t mean to say that the team’s going to improve. It doesn’t mean to say that in six months’ time you’re stuck with a player that’s on too much money, that’s too old and you can’t sell them. It would be nice to have £200m to spend but that’s not the case. I have to work with what I have responsibly.”
Potter has won only five league games since replacing Julen Lopetegui. “I have no doubt whatsoever about my ability,” he said. “I have no doubt about the players and I have no doubt about the team that we’ll improve. I understand people will be critical. That’s the world we’re in. No point complaining about it. I couldn’t care less what you guys think or what people say from outside.”
Potter suggested that West Ham became too emotional after going behind against Sunderland. He added that he trusts the squad’s leadership group of Nayef Aguerd, Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Füllkrug, Maximilian Kilman, Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse to lift the mood in the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca has said Wesley Fofana is happy at Chelsea despite the defender removing pictures of himself playing for the club from his Instagram account.
The 24-year-old, who was an unused substitute during Sunday’s 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace, previously did the same in 2022 as he sought a move away from Leicester, just before sealing a £70m switch to Stamford Bridge.
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Fofana, who missed a large part of last season after injuring his hamstring in December, is expected to play some part against West Ham. “I spoke with Wes every day, he’s very happy, first of all because he’s back from injury, he’s joining all the sessions with us,” said Maresca. “He was on the bench just to be with us but from [Friday] he can get some minutes.
“We are happy, he is happy. About Instagram, I don’t have any idea because I don’t use social networks.”
