West Ham accelerate move for “outstanding” £20m star

West Ham United are looking to sign at least one new midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window. Graham Potter’s options in the centre of the park currently include James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, and Tomas Soucek, amongst others.

Yet, that does not seem to be enough for the Hammers boss, who is now chasing a new man in midfield. One of the names they have been linked with is his former midfielder at Brighton, Yves Bissouma, according to reports.

However, with Tottenham Hotspur demanding just £17m, he is seen as a viable option for Juventus, which could make this a tough deal for West Ham to do.

There are other options, too, with the Hammers in talks to sign an alternative to Bissouma.

West Ham’s Bissouma alternative

It seems clear that Potter would love to recruit another midfielder this summer, with West Ham looking to climb up the table and build on last season’s 14th-place finish. If Bissouma is indeed unattainable, then they may well have identified a different option.

According to a recent report from Belgian news outlet Voetbalnieuws, via PUNCH Sports Extra, the Hammers are set to accelerate their plans to sign Club Brugge and Nigeria international midfielder Raphael Onyedika. He is said to be ‘their number one priority for midfield reinforcement’ this summer.

Indeed, this is not a deal where Brugge will stand in the player’s way, with the club said to be ‘open to a transfer’ in the coming weeks.

At the end of May, the midfielder was valued at £20m, and with the player ‘patiently awaiting the right offer’, the East Londoners could look to push for a deal.

Why Onyedika would be a good signing

With Onyedika 24 years of age, it feels like now could be a great time for West Ham to pounce on the Nigerian international and bring him to the Premier League. Described as an “outstanding” midfielder by Belgian coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck, he has certainly built up a strong reputation.

Last season, he was a crucial player for Brugge in the heart of their midfield. Most often deployed as a defensive midfielder, the Hammers target played 52 games in all competitions, chipping in with two goals and two assists.

It will surely be a positive for the Hammers that Onyedika was such an important player in the Champions League, as his side reached the Last 16. He played 90 minutes against Aston Villa twice, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, against whom he even scored.

Perhaps the 24-year-old could become Potter’s new Bissouma. The Mali international saw great success under the now-Hammers boss on the South Coast with Brighton, playing 90 games under his tutelage, operating in the heart of his midfield.

Surely, the Englishman would love to have a player like Bissouma in his midfield again, especially after praising his “undoubted ability” after his move to North London.

If West Ham miss out on signing the Spurs star, then perhaps Onyedika could be an apt alternative.

A deep dive into the stats via FBref is telling. Using numbers from Bissouma’s last season at Brighton and Onyedika in 2024/25, there is evidence to suggest that the Brugge star could replicate the Malian’s role under Potter in a West Ham shirt.

Progression from midfield will not be an issue, with the Super League star averaging 4.65 progressive passes each game compared to Bissouma’s 3.91.

Off the ball, the ability to make those recovery runs that Spurs’ number eight excels at is certainly there. Per 90 minutes, Onyedika averaged 5.83 compared to Bissouma’s 6.85.

For a fee of around £20m, this could be a dream move for Potter. If he is unsuccessful in signing Bissouma this season, then Onyedika seems to fit the required profile down to a tee, with his high-intensity work rate off the ball and progression in build-up.

West Ham are looking to sign a new midfielder, and they could do far worse than a player with age on his side and excellent numbers behind him.

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