Done deal: West Ham confirm permanent midfielder exit
West Ham’s midfield is set to undergo a drastic change in the summer.
Ahead of Graham Potter’s first full season in charge in East London, the middle of the park is somewhere the English manager evidently wants to address.
Edson Alvarez is a name on the chopping block for Potter, with Guido Rodriguez another potential big-name exit at the London Stadium.
Douglas Luiz is a player who could potentially replace Alvarez, with the Brazilian coming off the back of a frustrating season in Italy with Juventus.
The clearout has already started.
Patrick Kelly leaves West Ham
Kelly, 20, recently departed the London Stadium, with the Northern Irishman joining League One Barnsley permanently.
West Ham confirmed the exit of the youngster with a post on X (July 28) and sent the midfielder their “best wishes” for the future.
Kelly joined the Irons in 2022 but failed to make a senior appearance, with the midfielder spending last season on loan with League Two side Doncaster Rovers.
| Patrick Kelly | League Two stats (2024/25 season) |
| Appearences | 30 |
| Starts | 15 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Total minutes played | 1423 |
With teenagers such as Preston Fearon impressing in pre-season against Manchester United, the path to the first team just became even trickier for Kelly, with a move away being the correct decision for both parties.
West Ham need to land some of their midfield targets
It’s all well and good being linked to high-profile names such as Harvey Elliott and Luiz, but if there are no significant incomings, then that will only frustrate supporters.
Josh Brownhill recently confirmed his departure from Burnley, with West Ham being long-term admirers of the 29-year-old.
With the former Burnley captain being available on a free transfer, the Hammers have no excuses and must act swiftly if they want to secure his signature, with Celtic also interested.
Combine this shrewd piece of business with a marquee signing like Elliott, and Potter will be laughing as he can finally get midfielders he trusts through the door.
Removing dead wood like Alvarez and Kelly, who do not feature in Potter’s plans, is needed as he revamps his midfield.
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