By Daniel Feliciano

10th May, 2022 | 10:46am

Keane Lewis-Potter main target for West Ham United this summer, Gerard Deulofeu back-up option - ExWHUemployee

West Ham United have identified Hull winger Keane Lewis-Potter as the ‘main’ winger target for the summer transfer window, but Gerard Deulofeu remains a back-up option according to ExWHUemployee.

The Hammers have been linked with the 21-year-old in recent weeks for a potential £18m move [The Athletic], after his fine season with the Tigers in the Championship.

Now speaking on his official ExWHUemployee Patreon account [May 9], Ex has shared that there are back up options in case that doesn’t happen including Ollie O’Neill from Fulham and former Watford winger Deulofeu.

“Nothing is close,” he said. “We haven’t put in a bid for anyone. Obviously we have a shortlist of players we want to sign, but nothing is close.

“Ollie O’Neill is someone whose name has just recently come up, from Fulham. We’ve always looked at a lot of players from there. There was the centre back [Tosin], there was Carvalho, there are a lot of players that we look at.

“Apparently Ollie O’Neill is someone that has drawn attention but the main winger that I believe we’re after is Keane Lewis-Potter of Hull.

“He scored a good goal at the weekend and the manager is very keen on signing him I’ve heard. He also likes Johnson at Forest, but his price tag is likely to be a lot higher.

“Hull are in a bit of financial struggle, they’re also confined to the Championship for another season because obviously Nottingham Forest are in the playoff places. If Forest go up, which they have every chance of doing because they were one of the better teams in the playoffs, then I don’t think they would want to sell Johnson.

“So I would say at the moment, Lewis-Potter is someone to look out for. Deulofeu, the former Watford and Everton player, there is some interest in him but he’s a bit older and a bit more injury prone so I think he’s more like a back-up option, not necessarily someone that we would sign but maybe someone we would if we don’t get those first-choice targets.”

Underway

The summer of madness is officially underway it seems, and the club are likely to be linked with a whole host of names over the coming months in what is expected to be a very busy summer.

Lewis-Potter is a typical Moyes signing. He’s young, hungry, coming off a good season and will offer attributes that are coachable too. It would be a great move and while £18m may seem high, people said the same about Jarrod Bowen and now it’s a bargain.

Deulofeu on the other hand would be a rather odd deal for the Irons to complete, considering his previous struggles in England.

He had stints with Everton and Watford and while he had some good highlights and moments, which saw Roberto Martinez once describe him as ‘excellent’, overall he was pretty underwhelming. Now much older and more stuck in his own ways, it would be a surprise to see the club bring him in for any reason other than other deals not materialising.

In other West Ham news, Sky Pundit says West Ham star has ‘priced himself out of a move’ this summer

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