WEST HAM JUST PULLED OFF THE GREATEST TRANSFER HEIST IN PREMIER LEAGUE HISTORY – AND YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHO THEY ALREADY SIGNED WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING! 😱🔥 (This one move could win them the title and bankrupt their rivals overnight!)
Think back to the summer transfer window, when West Ham United were desperately searching for a creative midfielder.
Three realistic options were heavily linked with the club, each pursued at different stages of the window.
The first name in the frame was Harvey Elliott, fresh from his standout performances in England’s triumphant U21 European Championship run.
Liverpool were open to selling him for around £30–£45 million, and Aston Villa promptly secured his signature once he became expendable at Anfield.
Next came Jacob Ramsey, another player departing Villa and, at the time, widely reported as Graham Potter’s preferred target.
West Ham put forward a serious bid for the Will Salthouse-represented midfielder, but Ramsey ultimately opted to join Newcastle United instead.
The third candidate was Mateus Fernandes, recently relegated with Southampton yet impressive throughout their difficult campaign.
After missing out on Ramsey, reports from Claret & Hugh suggested that Fernandes had moved to the top of Potter’s wishlist — although that version of events now appears to be getting rewritten.
The latest claims argue that it was actually David Sullivan and Max Hahn, not Potter and Kyle Macaulay, who pushed hardest for Fernandes. In truth, it’s difficult to know what really happened, and perhaps it doesn’t matter.
Nowadays, every successful signing seems to be attributed to the owners, leaving Macaulay portrayed as having contributed very little — a rather convenient narrative.
Fernandes showcased his quality again with a superb display against Brighton, reinforcing why the debate over who recommended him may be irrelevant.
What does matter is that West Ham secured the right midfielder in the end. Whether the result of sharp recruitment or pure luck, it’s clear that had Ramsey accepted West Ham’s offer — and Salthouse was certainly driving that possibility — Fernandes might never have arrived.
What is now unmistakable is that West Ham have landed a seriously talented player. If the Hammers end up relegated, it’s hard to imagine he’ll stay for long.
Looking back at the trio of Elliott, Ramsey and Fernandes, it feels increasingly apparent that West Ham ended up with the best option of them all.
