West Ham now ready to make move for “very skilful” star

West Ham United are now ready to make an approach to sign a “very skilful” midfielder, who Graham Potter is a big fan of, according to a report.

Potter keen to strengthen in several areas

Potter is clearly keen to put his own stamp on his West Ham squad this summer, having set his sights on bringing in additions in several key areas, with signing a new goalkeeper now emerging as a possibility.

The Hammers have now joined the race to sign Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens, whose impressive performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Manchester City.

A new striker is also of interest to the Irons boss, with Lille’s Jonathan David one of the most high-profile names on the shortlist, while a deal for AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham has been explored.

In terms of potential midfield additions, Sunderland’s Chris Rigg is high on the shortlist, with Potter’s side eyeing a £10m move for the 17-year-old, while they have also been in talks over a deal for Lille’s Angel Gomes for quite some time.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, West Ham have already made an approach to sign Gomes, which was knocked back, but they are now ready to make a second attempt to lure the midfielder to the London Stadium.

The Hammers are undeterred by the initial approach being rejected, and remain interested in the 24-year-old, who is set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.

Potter is keen to bring in a midfielder capable of playing the number 8 and number 6 roles, and the England international could be an ideal option.

“Very skilful” Gomes could be the perfect addition

Not only can the maestro operate as a number 6 or 8, but former England caretaker manager Lee Carsley has praised him for his ability to play further forward, while lauding him as “very skilful”.

The Lille star’s ability to control games is also demonstrated by his passing ability, ranking in the 97th

percentile for passes completed per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Potter is known to be a big fan of Gomes, so it is promising news that West Ham could still get a deal done this summer, despite previous reports they had pulled out of the race for his signature.