“West Ham’s DESPERATE Grab for £15M ‘Wizard’ to Be Potter’s ULTIMATE Xhaka 2.0 – You WON’T Believe the Hype!”

After a long summer break, the wait is finally over—West Ham United return to competitive action this afternoon.

Graham Potter’s men kick off their Premier League campaign with an away clash against newly promoted Sunderland. On paper, the fixture looks favorable for the Hammers, but football is rarely straightforward.

The Black Cats have strengthened significantly over the summer, none more so than with the headline signing of former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, who still possesses plenty of quality at the top level.

Interestingly, while Sunderland have secured the Swiss international, West Ham themselves are now being linked with a player who could be considered their own version of Xhaka.

West Ham in search of their own Xhaka

This transfer window has not been especially glamorous for the Irons, but it has been quietly effective.

The club have brought in Mads Hermansen, who impressed at Leicester City last season, while Kyle Walker-Peters offers proven Premier League experience.

El Hadji Malick Diouf has also stood out during pre-season and looks like one to watch moving forward.

Yet Potter and the West Ham hierarchy are not finished. According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the London side are showing interest in Aleix García of Bayer Leverkusen.

Bailey reported that the Spaniard is a player West Ham “quite like,” and crucially, there does not appear to be heavy competition for his signature at this stage.

Garcia, who joined Leverkusen for around £15m, could represent outstanding value if a deal can be struck for a similar figure. Should he arrive, he would arguably be the Hammers’ equivalent to Sunderland’s Xhaka.

Comparing García to Xhaka

The parallels between the two midfielders are not merely speculative. Data from FBref, which analyzes footballers across Europe’s top leagues as well as the Champions and Europa League, has identified Granit Xhaka as the eighth-most similar midfielder to García over the last year.

This comparison becomes clearer when looking at the underlying metrics. Both players perform strongly in areas such as progressive carries, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, blocks, and live passes per 90 minutes.

Like Xhaka, García is very much an all-action midfielder—capable of dictating play going forward while also willing to contribute defensively when the situation demands.

The similarities go beyond numbers as well. García and Xhaka previously played together at Leverkusen, meaning the Spaniard has first-hand experience of operating alongside the Swiss veteran.

If García were to move to the Premier League this summer, it would feel like something of a reunion, with both midfielders embarking on new challenges in England.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described García as “technically gifted,” a player versatile enough to occupy multiple roles across midfield.

He is comfortable as a deep-lying six, can thrive as a box-to-box number eight, and has even operated higher up the pitch when required.

Such flexibility would be a major asset for Potter, giving him tactical options to adjust depending on the opposition.

A move worth pursuing

If West Ham can pull off this deal, it would be a significant coup. García offers the mix of creativity, grit, and adaptability that Potter’s midfield requires.

Just as Sunderland have secured a major upgrade in Xhaka, the Irons could find themselves an equally transformative player in García—someone capable of elevating the side to new levels.

While the move would be somewhat surprising, all the signs suggest it is one West Ham should pursue with urgency.