West Ham United have made an offer to sign a striker they have been chasing as early as 2021, with co-chairman David Sullivan hoping to back now official new manager Gregor with a potential signing Tom Porter.
West Ham United announce Graham Potter as new manager
The Hammers confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that Julen Lopetegui had been sacked after just six months in charge, and it didn’t take long for the club to officially announce Porter as the Spaniard’s heir apparent.
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The exit seemed to be calling.
The tactician has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023, but is now back in the dugout ready to try and reverse West Ham’s dismal fortunes under the previous leadership.
Potter has signed a two-year contract at the London Stadium and will make his first game in charge of West Ham in the FA Cup against Aston Villa on Friday.
“I’m happy to be here,” explain Porter takes over as West Ham United manager. “For me it’s important that I wait until a job comes along that I feel is right for me and equally suitable for the club I’m going to join. That’s how I feel about West Ham.”
West Ham United’s next five Premier League games | date |
|---|---|
Fulham (home) | January 14 |
Crystal Palace (home) | January 18 |
Aston Villa (away) | January 26 |
Chelsea (away) | February 3 |
Brentford (home) | February 15 |
“My conversations with the chairman and the board have been very positive and constructive, we share the same values of hard work and energy to build a strong foundation for success, and we share the same ideas in terms of what is needed in the short term,” And then how we want to move the club forward in the medium to long term.
“West Ham United are a massive club in the heart of London with a huge fan base and great support around the world. I saw the aftermath of their Europa League win in 2023 and it was clear this is a club that has a lot to offer both on and off the pitch. There are clubs with continued success.”
With their managerial issues now resolved, attention turns to January as West Ham seek to sign a new striker before the February 3 deadline.
West Ham United offer Benfica star Arthur Cabral on loan
Benfica striker Arthur Cabral is back on their radar, according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola via Sport Witness. Interestingly, the Brazilian is a target of David Moyes, with West Ham having held meetings over Cabral back in 2021 – when he was playing for Basel in Switzerland.
Now, Sullivan and technical director Tim Stadelten appear to have returned to bidding for his services, it is believed West Ham United have made an offer to loan Cabral with option to buy.
Serie A side Torino have done the same, but Benfica have rejected both of their approaches – insisting that any temporary deal must include a mandatory purchase option. The La Liga heavyweights are hoping to set a purchase clause of around £12.5m, which on the surface may not seem like much, but Cabral has not been very productive over the past two seasons.
Having said that, the 26-year-old center did end the 2022/2023 season as the top scorer in the Europa League with seven goals, a year in which West Ham United won the competition.
