West Ham are doing everything they can to deliver Graham Potter’s ‘dream’ signing but Tottenham are making life very difficult.
The summer transfer window is nearly just six weeks away and there’s plenty of work to be done at West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.
The London rivals share a lot in common this season – they’ve both been exceptionally bad.
Two points separate the Hammers and Spurs as they fight to avoid being the worst team outside the Premier League relegation places.
West Ham and Spurs face overhauls
Tottenham have lost a whopping 17 games to West Ham’s 15 – meaning two teams tipped to challenge for Europe have lost nearly an entire Premier League season’s worth of matches between them this term.
Ange Postecoglou looks finished in north London, unless Spurs somehow win the Europa League.
That leaves Daniel Levy in full control of Tottenham’s transfers this summer – just like David Sullivan at West Ham.
Both squads need a serious overhaul after their woeful underachievement.
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But Levy has warned Spurs fans the club ‘can’t spend what we don’t have’.
Meanwhile West Ham have made it clear sales are needed to fund signings due to the club reaching its PSR limit.
Logic suggests a vibrant free agent market will be where the Hammers and Spurs look to shop as a first priority.
And that is certainly the case according to football correspondent Graeme Bailey.
West Ham work on Potter’s ‘dream’ signing but Spurs ‘making it tough’
Because West Ham are working hard to deliver Graham Potter’s ‘dream’ signing but Spurs are ‘making it tough’.
West Ham have been talking to versatile England midfielder Angel Gomes over a summer move to east London.
The Lille star is out of contract at the end of the season.
Bailey revealed Graham Potter asked West Ham’s owners to bring him Angel Gomes this summer when he first took over in January.
West Ham have held negotiations with Gomes’ agents Gol International.
But Tottenham have been in the background for Angel Gomes too, putting pressure on any Hammers deal.
Gomes spoke out after the January window closed to say he has not made any decision on his next club and will assess proposals towards the end of the season.
As that draws ever closer there is an update from Bailey on the situation.
The journalist says West Ham are backing Potter by doing everything to get Gomes signed.
Better still the player is very much open to the idea – but there’s a problem.
Levy and Spurs are refusing to step away in the race for the Edmonton-born 24-year-old and that is proving attractive for Gomes as well.
Tottenham spoiling West Ham’s Angel delight
“The club are backing Potter that is for sure, they think he has had a positive impact on the squad and I am told the players are enjoying it,” Bailey exclusively told Hammers News.
“They want a striker, but they are looking at all aspects of the squad.
“I think the dream signing for them would be Angel Gomes – they think he would fit Potter’s style like a hand in a glove, and I believe Gomes would be open to it.
“But at this point it is a tough one because Spurs are working hard on him.”
Gomes was honest over his future when he spoke out to reassure Lille fans he wasn’t taking his eye off the ball while the season was still going on.
But he has been leaving negotiations to his agents in the meantime.
“I’m aware of clubs inquiring about my situation, but I’m now completely focused on Lille,” Gomes told Fabrizio Romano.
“I want to finish the season in the best way possible and then we will see what happens.
“I’m focused on the present and not on negotiations.”