Potter wants Palace star as huge summer signing.
Graham Potter is already making a difference at West Ham and has the squad dancing to his tune, and the manager could well make a move for a Crystal Palace ace this summer to shore up his squad options.
West Ham have already hired the “best in the business” in terms of recruitment for Potter, his old head of recruitment, Kyle Macaulay.
The club are rumoured to want to land a Manchester United ace in the summer too, so things are definitely happening in and around the club to give supporters something to feel good about.
West Ham have improved under Graham Potter
Graham Potter, Head Coach of West Ham United, looks on
Graham Potter, Head Coach of West Ham United, looks on during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and West Ham United FC at Stamford Bridge on February 03, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
After Julen Lopetegui’s disastrous era at the club, whomever came in needed to hit the ground running, and fortunately for Potter, he’s calmed everything down and got the first-team squad dancing to his tune.
They finally look like a semblance of a Premier League side again, rather than a disjointed bunch of individuals being played out of position.
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Results will determine just how successful Potter’s tenure at the London Stadium will be, but given the hand that he’s been dealt, the 49-year-old has certainly made a decent enough start.
Graham Potter looking at Palace ace for summer move
Clearly, come the summer transfer window, the Hammers will need to strengthen again, and with Danny Ings likely to leave and no guarantees that Michail Antonio will play again, even if Evan Ferguson is brought in on a permanent deal, getting another front man through the door is imperative.
To that end, TBR Football are reporting that West Ham are amongst a number of clubs that are chasing Crystal Palace’s in-form striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The burly centre-forward is straight out of the old school and has an impressive 17 goals in 31 games this season (WhoScored).
It isn’t clear at this stage if Palace would be amenable to bids for a player whose contract expires in June 2026 (transfermarkt), but if the Eagles have any notion that Mateta is delaying signing a new deal, the chances are they’ll look to cash in.
Sky Sports pundit settles debate over who Leeds United should start out of Junior Firpo and Sam Byram.
After Leeds United moved five points clear of the top of the Championship following Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Coventry City, Daniel Farke highlighted the importance of keeping his squad fresh.
Fortunately for a coach looking to exercise the ghosts of last season’s play-off heartbreak, Leeds United possess a squad most managers in the second-tier could only dream of.
Willy Gnonto and Largie Ramazani started on the bench at Coventry, with Dan James and Manor Solomon in the XI. This, as they say, is the sort of greed they talked about in the Bible.
Joe Rothwell was rested in favour of Ilia Gruev in the West Midlands.
Former France, Atletico Madrid and Wolfsburg enforcer Joshua Guilavogui stepped in for the closing stages – Frank Lampard put rivalries aside to proclaim Leeds ‘the best team in the league’ – while the returning Pascal Struijk may face a fight getting his place back after Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu kept another clean sheet.
Albeit that owed much to their goalkeeper; Illan Meslier pulled off a ‘world-class’ save to stop Ellis Simms halving the deficit early in the second-half.
And while Sam Byram is in the midst of a stunning, record-challenging run of 22 games without defeat – the title favourites have not lost with him on the pitch since Burnley in September – Leeds’ lucky charm made way for Junior Firpo as his fellow full-back returned following six weeks on the sidelines.
Junior Firpo (Leeds United) during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Coventry City at Elland Road in Leeds, England, on Septe…
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Michael Bridges hails ‘brilliant’ Junior Firpo with Leeds United left-back in top form
While Farke is long enough in the tooth to know that this is a squad game – Leeds need not just 11 players but 18-plus to get through a gruelling campaign – Byram may find his opportunities limited from now until May.
