West Ham Zone

Jarrod Bowen faces ‘biggest decision of his career’ at West Ham as Tottenham ready bid

Jarrod Bowen has been a beacon of light at West Ham in a difficult period.

Bowen came so close to scoring against Leeds United last time out, with his flash of brilliance bringing the away side level.

West Ham went on to lose 2-1 at Leeds, plunging Nuno Espirito Santo into early uncertainty in his role as Hammers boss.

The Irons currently sit 19th in the Premier League and are in desperate need of inspiration, but Bowen will have one eye on the 2026 World Cup England squad.

Bowen could see a move away as his best chance of making a name for himself on the international stage, and could prompt an imminent London Stadium exit.

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Tottenham ready to make Jarrod Bowen bid

The East Londoners are in a tough spot right now after going six Premier League games without a win under both Nuno and Graham Potter.

Should Bowen leave West Ham, they could easily face relegation even if 29 games remain at this stage of the campaign.

The skipper is easily the most consistent player in claret and blue and regularly drags his side through difficult days.

The frustration surrounding the Hammers right now could prove to be too much even for the Englishman.

Bowen could see this as an opportunity to leave the London Stadium, with Fichajes reporting on 29 October that he is facing “the biggest decision of his career”.

Tottenham have emerged as a landing destination for the forward should he depart West Ham in order to chase higher ambitions away from the widespread problems in claret and blue.

The Lilywhites are prepared to offer £52million for Bowen as they look to convince the Irons to part ways with their captain and star player.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank loves what he’s seen from Bowen

When facing the Hammers, it is likely that the ex-Hull City man is seen as their main threat and as someone who needs to be nullified.

That often doesn’t work as Bowen manages to impact games on a weekly basis in claret and blue.

Thomas Frank certainly falls into the camp of picking out the Englishman and did so throughout his spell at Brentford.

The Dane has since joined Tottenham and could look to bring Bowen to N17 after describing him as “unplayable” after he netted a hat-trick against the Bees previously.

The head coach also described the wideman as “really, really good” and West Ham’s “main threat” following previous meetings, underscoring his positivity toward the Irons’ captain.

‘Sad moment’ – What West Ham target Nuno Espirito Santo has said about time at Tottenham

West Ham continue to be linked with Nuno Espirito Santo as Graham Potter’s time in East London looks to be coming to an end.

West Ham currently have a free run at Nuno, with the Portuguese manager currently out of work after being sacked by Nottingham Forest last month.

He was dismissed in the East Midlands after multiple public falling outs with the controversial owner

Evangelos Marinakis and said that their relationship was no longer the same as last season.

However, David Sullivan and Nuno look to be apart in their valuations, and the ex-Tottenham manager could head elsewhere should the Hammers keep stalling.

What Nuno Espirito Santo has said about Tottenham since leaving

West Ham fans were left disappointed by the defeat to Crystal Palace, with big changes demanded following their fifth loss of the season.

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Sullivan has been asked to step down as West Ham chairman, but remains in his post and is set to examine the managerial situation in the October international break.

With former Tottenham boss Nuno a big favourite for the job, supporters will be pleased with how he has put behind his poor form in North London since leaving in 2021.

Speaking during his time at Nottingham Forest, he said: “No, no regrets, it happened. It was a pleasure to be at Spurs, things didn’t go well so we move forwards.

“Things didn’t work out for many situations there. I was honoured to have the chance to manage at Spurs, maybe it wasn’t the right moment for me to go there.

“I have learned from all moments of my life and all the experiences I have had. They (Spurs) are some also. The moment was a sad moment, but life keeps on going.

“It is going to be a pleasure to return, to play there and to face Spurs. It is part of the past now, I am focused on Forest and am determined to try to achieve a good performance.”

West Ham will want to avoid Tottenham’s mistakes

Nuno wasn’t given enough time to show his capabilities at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It has been shown since he left how much of a struggling side he inherited, and should he join West Ham, he would be walking into an even worse side.

The Hammers must give him time.

Nuno brought immediate success to Tottenham, winning Manager of the Month in August 2021, before their slump in form saw him sacked after just 121 days.

At the time of his dismissal, Spurs were in a healthy eighth place and had won five of their ten Premier League games.

Sullivan should go all out for the 51-year-old and also give him plenty of time to get the players going.

Mohammed Kudus has made an enemy out of the West Ham fanbase this summer.

Kudus left West Ham for rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a £55million deal, a transfer that has made him vilified in East London.

In his announcement video, Kudus said he wanted to move to Tottenham all summer, a statement that proved to be a dagger to Hammers fans’ hearts.

The Ghanaian made his return to the London Stadium on Saturday, as West Ham lost 3-0 to Spurs, where Graham Potter was criticised yet again for his poor tactics.

Kudus was booed on his return by West Ham fans, but he made a surprising gesture towards his old boss and teammates.

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Mohammed Kudus embraces Graham Potter before kick-off

Potter’s future has dominated the aftermath of the derby defeat for the Hammers, as Nuno Espirito Santo has been lined up as a potential replacement for the former Chelsea boss.

However, he received a warm embrace from his former star before kick-off, as Kudus ran over to the Hammers’ dugout to give Potter a hug.

He then went to his former teammate Lucas Paqueta and embraced him as well, expressing that he holds no ill feelings towards his old teammates.

The fans, however, were not so forgiving, even cheering as a ball boy refused to give the ball back to Kudus for one of the many corners taken by the away side.

To them, the embraces with Paqueta and Potter will be seen by fans as a lack of understanding of the rivalry between West Ham and Tottenham.

Mohammed Kudus made great decision to leave West Ham

Kudus’ decision to leave East London was met with hefty criticism by Hammers fans, who will feel that their former star has backstabbed them by leaving for one of their biggest rivals.

While leaving for a side that finished below them last season sounds strange out of context, the Ghanaian has made the best decision for his career by leaving.

West Ham are a complete mess at the moment, and are not going anywhere under their current set-up, and most fans will admit that.

The only anger fans can hold against Kudus is the team he has departed for, as leaving for anyone other than Tottenham would be met with much less frustration.

West Ham United are struggling under Graham Potter this season.

West Ham lost 3-0 to Tottenham at the London Stadium on Saturday, where Tomas Soucek also saw red for a bad challenge on Joao Palhinha.

The result has left the Hammers in the relegation zone on goal difference, having conceded the most goals in the Premier League this season with 11.

The pressure on Potter is growing by the day, with the media slamming him for his decision-making against Spurs, especially defensively in the second half.

West Ham criticised for poor defending on corners

Pape Matar Sarr opened the scoring at the start of the second half with a header at the back post from a Xavi Simons corner.

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It was West Ham‘s fifth goal conceded from corners this season already, while Cristian Romero also saw a headed effort from a Mohammed Kudus delivery controversially disallowed for a push.

West Ham’s defending from corners this season has seen heavy criticism come towards Potter and his coaching staff for their set-piece set-up, with the Hammers constantly opting for zonal marking.

Writing for The Guardian, Jacob Steinberg has questioned the former Chelsea manager, aiming to understand what West Ham are doing at their Rush Green training ground.

Steinberg said: “Graham Potter hunted for positives. The good news, he reckoned, was that West Ham defended the first nine or 10 set pieces from Tottenham pretty well.

“Hooray. Progress. Unfortunately, the zonal marking system was utterly abysmal when the unchallenged Pape Matar Sarr headed Spurs into the lead after 47 minutes.

“It was a pathetic concession; West Ham’s fourth from a corner this season. What are they doing at Rush Green? Mads Hermansen is not commanding his area, and the centre-backs are poor.

“West Ham lag behind other clubs when it comes to innovation. With direct football making a comeback, why have they not considered hiring a set-piece coach?”

West Ham need to go back to basics

The Hammers have been atrocious at the back this season. There’s no other way to put it.

You cannot concede from set-pieces almost every game and expect to stay in the Premier League, especially when the three teams that have just come up from the Championship have been much better than the three promoted teams were last season already.

Steinberg rightly questioned what they are doing at the training ground, as the zonal marking system is clearly not working, yet Potter chooses to persist with this form of defending.

The Englishman needs to rip up the tactics book and start from scratch, as the way the Hammers are going, there is only one outcome, which leads to Potter’s sacking and West Ham’s relegation.

West Ham United suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

West Ham were beaten 3-0 by Spurs at the London Stadium after Tomas Soucek was sent off early in the second half for a bad challenge on Joao Palhinha.

The pressure on Graham Potter has risen tenfold following the defeat to Spurs, with the former Chelsea man helpless to prevent another heavy defeat, following the 5-1 thrashing at home against the Blues.

However, following the defeat, new signing El Hadji Malick Diouf has added fuel to the fire with some strange behaviour on social media.

El Hadji Malick Diouf sends love to Pape Matar Sarr after defeat

After the defeat against Tottenham, Diouf sent a message to his Instagram story pleading with fans to keep faith and that it will take time to get back on track.

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However, without too much notice, the Senegalese international was seen interacting with Spurs midfielder Pape Matar Sarr on social media.

Sarr, who scored Tottenham’s opener early in the second half from a deep corner, posted a picture of himself celebrating with the caption: “This is how we bounce back. Let’s go.”

Diouf, strangely, replied to his international teammate in the comments with two love heart emojis, despite both the defeat and the bitter rivalry between the two sides.

West Ham players need to get their priorities straight

A message to an international teammate is a nice touch from Diouf, but the timing of the comment couldn’t have been worse.

Given how much West Ham and Tottenham fans dislike each other, the Senegalese defender should be more cautious and consider messaging him privately to avoid media backlash.

However, the biggest issue is the fact that he has done this straight after a 3-0 home defeat that has left the Hammers in the relegation zone, with 11 goals conceded already in the first four games.

Diouf can redeem himself with his performances on the pitch, but he needs to be careful about his social media actions to stay onside with the Hammers faithful.

West Ham United are a mess right now.

West Ham lost 3-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, as goals from Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, and Micky van de Ven ramped up the pressure on Graham Potter.

El Hadji Malick Diouf arrived at West Ham from Slavia Prague this summer and has been one of the only shining lights at the London Stadium this season.

After the crushing defeat to Spurs, which is the Hammers’ second straight heavy home loss, following West Ham’s 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, Diouf has sent a rallying cry to supporters.

El Hadji Malick Diouf pleads with West Ham fans to keep the faith

West Ham‘s second-half collapse against bitter rivals Spurs has sent any hope from Hammers fans of a revival down the drain.

There had been hope restored after West Ham’s late 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest before the international break that Potter could still lead a successful season.

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But defeat on Saturday has seen questions on Potter’s credentials re-emerge, but Diouf has come out asking Hammers fans for patience.

On his Instagram story, the Senegalese international has said: “It won’t be easy, just stay together, it’s just the beginning.”

Things are looking bleak at the London Stadium

Diouf has rightly come out in support of his manager, showing that there are figures in the dressing room who still back the former Chelsea man to turn around a sorry state of affairs in East London.

However, privately, there will likely be an acknowledgement that this current form cannot stand, with the Hammers dropping into the relegation zone following their London derby defeat.

Things are beginning to look bleak for Potter, and soon the Hammers hierarchy may see that the Englishman is working on borrowed time.

A win against Crystal Palace at the London Stadium is desperately needed to save the ex-Brighton boss.

Graham Potter has had a dismal spell as West Ham United manager.

West Ham were thrashed 3-0 by bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium, making it three heavy defeats in four Premier League games this season.

Tomas Soucek was sent off for West Ham, while goals from Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven piled on more pressure on a beleaguered Potter.

West Ham’s 3-0 victory at Nottingham Forest before the international break looked to be the catalyst for a Hammers revival this season, but Potter looks all but done after what was spotted by the BBC cameras.

Graham Potter looks bewildered on the sidelines during Tottenham defeat

Many questions have been asked over Potter’s position in the Hammers’ hotseat since the back end of last season, with fans disgruntled with a lack of solid results.

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That pressure has only intensified since the opening day hammering at Sunderland, with West Ham being unable to adequately defend at all this season, having conceded 11 goals already.

With another heavy defeat, Potter failed to respond effectively, especially after Soucek’s red card, and Ashley Williams has pointed out how the under-fire manager looked as though he had no answers.

Asked about whether Potter is under pressure on Match of the Day, Williams said: “Absolutely, and even when they cut to him during the game, it doesn’t look like he has the answers, he seems a little bit baffled on the sideline.”

Graham Potter has to go as West Ham manager

After the win at Forest, it looked as though there was a chance that Potter could revive his Hammers spell after an incredibly poor 2025 so far, with just two home wins.

However, that win brought false hope, and now the justified questions are being raised yet again, with a need for a change in results quickly before the Hammers get cut adrift.

Potter has been failed by the Hammers hierarchy in terms of arrivals, with only El Hadji Malick Diouf impressing so far, but there’s still a huge portion of blame to be pointed at the former Chelsea manager.

For the sake of West Ham’s survival hopes, Potter needs to pack his bags, but whether he walks or is pushed is another story.

West Ham United are in trouble on the pitch this season.

West Ham were battered 3-0 by Tottenham at the London Stadium on Saturday, with any hope that was restored with the win at Nottingham Forest before the international break being evaporated.

The pressure on Graham Potter is mounting by the day, after he has won just six times in 24 attempts since his appointment in January.

Before the Tottenham defeat, in which Tomas Soucek was also sent off, West Ham made an announcement that has received huge praise in the media.

West Ham receive huge admiration for banning half-and-half scarves

The Hammers surprised fans with an announcement before the defeat to Spurs, saying that fans would not be able to take half-and-half scarves into the London Stadium.

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The decision was taken in an attempt to stop Tottenham fans invading the home end, after tickets for Saturday night’s fixture dropped to general sale.

Many were pleased with the decision, with half-and-half scarves seen mainly as a stain on the world of football, and Dave Kidd voiced his delight at the move.

Writing in The Sun’s print edition (14 September, page 56), Kidd said: “A popular move from West Ham to ban half-and-half scarves from the London Stadium before yesterday’s derby against Tottenham.

“These woollen knock-offs are hated by loyal supporters and loved by the tourists. Yet at every Premier League club, the tourist element is welcomed with open arms because they spend more on merchandise than the week-in-week-outers.

“So, surely this isn’t a cynical move, billed as a crowd-pleaser, which simply means more money will be spent in the official club store rather than on moody gear?”

West Ham need to keep this up to send a message

Half-and-half scarves are one of the worst things in football and are loathed by most supporters across the world.

These scarves are a signal for increased tourism, whilst simultaneously pushing out the fans that back the team every week, no matter the outcome.

West Ham’s message here is a great one, but doing this for just one game is not enough to drive out this issue from English football.

Instead, continuing this approach for the forthcoming fixtures at the London Stadium will send the message that half-and-half scarves are not wanted in East London, which could see other clubs follow suit.

West Ham are set to come up against Tottenham in their next Premier League outing.

West Ham will host Tottenham at the London Stadium in a return to Premier League action after the international break on 13 September.

This comes nearly two weeks after Graham Potter oversaw West Ham’s 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

It is fair to say that this result came out of the blue, with Callum Wilson netting his first goal for West Ham in the process.

The result and performance could stand the Irons in good stead against Spurs in the upcoming London derby, although Jeff Stelling isn’t so sure.

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Jeff Stelling backs Tottenham to beat West Ham and praises Lucas Paqueta

West Ham could change their starting 11 to face Tottenham after such a great afternoon in the East Midlands last time out.

This could also be the case for Thomas Frank’s men after they fell to a hugely frustrating defeat against Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

An Evanilson goal after just five minutes proved to be the difference in N17, in what was also seen as a shock result for a side from the capital.

In the week before, Spurs secured a victory against Manchester City, as Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha secured a 2-0 win away from home.

And Stelling has based his prediction on that result by backing Tottenham to beat the Hammers in his weekly talkSPORT prediction on 11 September.

He said: “The Hammers looked reborn in the second half against Nottingham Forest. Lucas Paqueta is on fire, as they say, three in three, he only scored five in the entirety of last season.

“West Ham have only won at home twice in the whole of 2025, and if Spurs rediscover the form they showed at the Etihad, I think they’ll win. Sorry Hammers fans, I’m going West Ham nil, Tottenham two.”

Jeff Stelling previously doubted Lucas Paqueta

Although Stelling was complimentary of Paqueta in this instance, the former Gillette Soccer Saturday host hasn’t always rated the Hammers playmaker.

After their win over Newcastle in November 2024, Stelling questioned West Ham’s midfield and claimed he thought they would take a ‘battering’.

“When I looked at that West Ham midfield that started of Paqueta, Soler and Soucek, I thought this was going to be a battering but how wrong. They all did great, Soler I thought was terrific,” Stelling said.

Stelling was made to eat his words in this instance, and when they host Tottenham this weekend, Paqueta will be fuelled even more to help his side secure all three points.

Daniel Levy last week rather shockingly left West Ham’s fierce rivals Tottenham.

Levy left Spurs on Thursday night, after nearly 25 years as chairman of Tottenham, opening up talks of a possible takeover in North London.

West Ham are under the stewardship of David Sullivan, but there has been talk of PCP International launching a takeover bid in the past.

PSC are headed by Amanda Staveley, who also played a part in Newcastle United’s takeover.

Levy’s departure has led to Staveley’s consortium being rumoured to take over Spurs, and she has addressed the rumours publicly for the first time.

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Amanda Staveley confirms PCP International don’t intend to make Tottenham offer

Staveley has confirmed on Monday that PCP are not intending to launch a bid to take over Tottenham Hotspur in the immediate future.

Staveley was instrumental in pushing through the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s takeover of fellow Premier League rival Newcastle, but a second takeover is not on the cards in North London.

Tottenham fans have been lobbying for years against the ENIC ownership and Joe Lewis, but it looks like they are set to keep control of the Lilywhites for the foreseeable future.

West Ham were linked with a takeover by the same consortium just 12 months ago, when David Moyes left the club after four and a half years in charge at the London Stadium.

PCP investment in West Ham would transform the club

David Sullivan has been much maligned as West Ham owner due to his lack of a clear vision and reckless spending on flop signings.

The truth is, in a Premier League where money is quickly dominating, the Hammers are falling behind and stagnating under Sullivan‘s limited financial resources.

As seen at Newcastle, Saudi Arabian owners are willing to invest heavily to achieve the results desired by both themselves and the fans, with the Magpies winning the Carabao Cup and qualifying for the Champions League on two occasions.

There have been good moments under Sullivan, but if the Saudis return to East London, he needs to listen to what they have to say.

With Staveley’s group not interested in Tottenham, the question now is whether there is still any sort of interest in West Ham?