Summer 2025 Bosman thread

[Southminster Hammer]

According to the print edition of the Sun on Sunday (page 55), West Ham are ready to make a move for Chris Rigg if Sunderland do not gain promotion to the Premier League.

Apparently his family are meant to be pushing him to sign for us, instead of joining a so-called bigger club and getting swallowed up in their development team's.

[Phil Parkes' Gloves]

Just seen a Whetstone post from a couple of days ago that talks with Cummings are still ongoing. Seems to contradict Ex's previous comment (as per the first post on this thread) that it was done.

Any of our ITKs know what's actually happening?

[Bubbles Fortuna]

Apparently his family are meant to be pushing him to sign for us, instead of joining a so-called bigger club and getting swallowed up in their development team's.

Only 17 and a mainstay in that Sunderland side. The exact sort of player we should be signing.

[Ozza]

I remember reading when Joe Cole and Defoe joined both of them talked about a clear pathway into the first team at this club, which is why they came here.

We really seemed to have lost our way in this regard over the years, but it really feels that Noble is having impact here, we should absolutely be a club that gives highly talented lads a way into premier league football, it has been and should be our DNA, it should set us apart from the meat grinder that is Chelsea and the likes…

[Southminster Hammer]

I remember reading when Joe Cole and Defoe joined both of them talked about a clear pathway into the first team at this club, which is why they came here.

We really seemed to have lost our way in this regard over the years, but it really feels that Noble is having impact here, we should absolutely be a club that gives highly talented lads a way into premier league football, it has been and should be our DNA, it should set us apart from the meat grinder that is Chelsea and the likes…

But times have changed since those days sadly, seems the best players are just getting hoovered up by the likes of Man City, and used as a selling tool to comply with the regulations in place.

[Ozza]

It hasn’t really changed mate, its about showing potential West Ham players that there is a pathway here, its something we haven’t done for a long time, so in that respect yeah things have changed.

You will always get players that go for the £, but you will also have players and their families that see the bigger picture and will decide on a club (like us), where they have a good opportunity to make it to the first team

Id prefer the brightest players out there to come here rather than, lets say Palace for argument's sake, but you need a structure and an ethos that supports that.

Anyway feels like with the some of the stuff I’ve read recently that Mr. West Ham seems to be driving that agenda…happy days

[yakandyeti]

If we can bring in 2 or 3 and give them 10-15 games next season recruitment of young players will instantly become much easier. Playing Scarles will only help recruitment this summer, even more if say Orford gets a couple of starts before May too Potter's reputation won't harm us either. Would love that in the DNA of the club, for the odd young player that gives away a goal we'll get many more that save us a packet.

[Southminster Hammer]

I'm absolutely on board with bringing our youngsters through, I went to the FA youth Cup final at The Boleyn when Carrick and Cole etc played, was one of my best weekends of watching West Ham over the years. Sadly since those came through, the quality we have produced has drained, hopefully it starts to pick up again soon.

[1895Hammer]

I'm absolutely on board with bringing our youngsters through, I went to the FA youth Cup final at The Boleyn when Carrick and Cole etc played, was one of my best weekends of watching West Ham over the years. Sadly since those came through, the quality we have produced has drained, hopefully it starts to pick up again soon.

We’ve got 14 youngsters out with their respective international youth teams, you’d hope 2 or 3 more can join Scarles as serious first team squad members, I’d still like to see more of Guilherme who looked very promising in his Chelsea cameo, and while a cb, cm and striker are the summer essential signings adding a couple like Chris Rigg for positions we feel our youths don’t cover makes sense if the cash is there.
Probably more of a plan than we’ve seen before, and contrary to Sullivans usual short termism, but I’d like to see 3 in for the key positions aged 20/23 ( de Winter, Banzuzi, Eghema perhaps) and a Rigg or two for a season or so of development. Half next years starting side and on the bench under 25 should be the aim, targeting a top ten finish and a drive for Europe the following year.

[westlondonhammer]

I remember reading when Joe Cole and Defoe joined both of them talked about a clear pathway into the first team at this club, which is why they came here.

We really seemed to have lost our way in this regard over the years, but it really feels that Noble is having impact here, we should absolutely be a club that gives highly talented lads a way into premier league football, it has been and should be our DNA, it should set us apart from the meat grinder that is Chelsea and the likes…

Agree mate

I will say though... I am not sure we've really produced many good enough to come through in recent decades...not until now

[DusseldorfHammer]

Club is really keen on Rigg. But so are many other players.

As mentioned before, Maza from Hertha Berlin is another player we like for that position.

Several players from the Championship being looked at.

Maybe longshots, but Saibari and Flamingo, both shining at PSV also two players we seem to fancy.

[Ethanadict]

Agree mate

I will say though... I am not sure we've really produced many good enough to come through in recent decades...not until now

I think that is fair. It’s good to see Scarles playing and getting his chance, but you can only blood in so many youngsters at the same time in the Premier League. Unless they are as good as Rice of course, but players like him don’t come around too often.

More often the players on the fringes honestly haven’t come back to haunt us as I feared they might. Sonny Perkins, Divin Mubama, Jeremy Ngakia, Reece Oxford, Reece Burke, Josh Cullen and Grady Diangana, to name a few. I wish our academy guys all the best in the world (well, most of them) but sadly, although they’ve mostly done ok in the lower leagues, they haven’t taken on the PL by storm, and we were probably right to sell them or let them leave.

Thinking more positively, and as said above, with Scarles getting good game time and if Orford and/or Casey get a chance this season, the best young players will start to consider moving to West Ham to get a chance to play first team football that they probably wouldn’t get in the Sky 6. Potter will only enhance that reputation, as he did previously at Brighton.

[Wessex]

Club is really keen on Rigg. But so are many other players.

As mentioned before, Maza from Hertha Berlin is another player we like for that position.

Several players from the Championship being looked at.

Maybe longshots, but Saibari and Flamingo, both shining at PSV also two players we seem to fancy.

Ryan Flamingo, what a name. I guess club hasn’t got the highest hopes for George Earthy based on Rigg link?

[Southminster Hammer]

Ryan Flamingo, what a name. I guess club hasn’t got the highest hopes for George Earthy based on Rigg link?

Isn't Earthy a wide/deep player, and Rigge a central midfield player.

[funky chicken]

Looking at Whoscored for this season, Rigg seems to have played mostly on the right of a midfield 3, which is where Alvarez has been playing in recent weeks, or the right of the attacking midfield, so Kudus’ position.

They must feel at least 1 of Kudus or Guilherme is leaving as I don’t see where this Rigg fits in even on the bench. And that’s before you consider whether Jarrod will drop back to RAM if a CF is signed.

This Maza and the recently linked Stroeykens also play CM or AM. Along with the Angel Gomes links it does appear Potter wants a player who can play both CM/AM, like Lanzini used to here.

[hammerman11]

personally I hope we keep kudus BUT if we have to sell then 60m+ must be the starting price.
also I guess a lot will depend on paqueta;firstly if he is banned and if not does he want to stay with us, do we want him to stay with us and if not how much can we get for him; 60M ?

we cant afford to let both paq and mo go as we have no creative spark in the team.

mavrospanos - ok as a 3rd/4th choice CB . so maybe just add harwood-bellis to the group. hopefully casey progresses enough to get some game time soon.

keep - fabianski has been great but we cant have another season out of him so a cheaper keeper who is good enough to challenge areola; ramsdale for 10m ?

GK ramsdale 10m
Fullback walker-peters free
CB harwood-bellis 15m
midfielders banzuzi 10m rigge 15m bellingham 20m
striker delap 35m

outs fabianksi free ings free antonio free coufal 3m irving 5m soler returned rodriguez 5m paqueta banned/60m ferguson returned fullkrug 10m

new one year deal for cresswell; has played well as a LCH . new improved deal for soucek; one of the lowest earners at the club. new 3+1 years deal for super Tommy.

potts earthy casey scarles orford ajaj marshall added to first team squad with decisions made on them for possible loans for January 26. hopefully most will be good enough to stay in the first team squad.

a big summer of change;as usual at the circus stratford !

[westlondonhammer]

Thinking more positively, and as said above, with Scarles getting good game time and if Orford and/or Casey get a chance this season, the best young players will start to consider moving to West Ham to get a chance to play first team football that they probably wouldn’t get in the Sky 6. Potter will only enhance that reputation, as he did previously at Brighton.

Yeah... it's just a really tough, competitive landscape in London. The best youngsters are also finding their route to first team there at clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea.

There are less big teams to compete with in other areas of the country.

[YorksHammer]

A young West Ham fan suffers a minor inconvenience every time one of you suggests Kyle ****ing Walker-Peters as a signing.

Get a life. We can, will, and should do much, much better.

[MB]

Ryan Flamingo, what a name.

Never heard of him, but I want him to sign just for a goal celebration where the whole side stand on one leg!

[hammerheadjim]

A young West Ham fan suffers a minor inconvenience every time one of you suggests Kyle ****ing Walker-Peters as a signing.

Get a life. We can, will, and should do much, much better.

This with Ramsdale bells on!!!