“Doesn’t track back enough for our system” | Potter rejects midfield ace

Until the ‘West Ham bid’ reports came in regarding for Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes, most of the headlines yesterday were concerning Jack Grealish’s loan move to Everton. Eye watering sums involved even in a loan deal, as Everton will be forking out a huge chunk of the England player’s £300,000 a week wages. Quite how it will affect the dressing room at  the Hill-Dickinson Stadium, knowing that one player is likely taking home double what the rest are, remains to be seen.

It turns out that West Ham weren’t so much ‘beaten’ to Grealish but decided against, at least, according to sources at the club.

Clearly Graham Potter values work rate over talent and was concerned about the Manchester City attacker’s apparent laissez-faire attitude in recent years. From outlet hammers.news.com , West Ham’s spokesman confirmed Potter’s stance:

“We see Grealish as an individual who has had his troubles and doesn’t track back enough for our system and the way the manager wants to play”.

For whatever reason it is likely that West Ham have dodged a bullet by swerving a Guardiola cast-off. With a fifty million release clause on the loan to buy option, Manchester City are in for a truly huge loss on Grealish: Which certainly puts some of West Ham’s recent dealings into contact.

Evidently, from the club source’s comments, Potter values work rate and attitude more than maverick talent.  Which is evident in his pursuit of hard working midfielders.

Although it makes the “Alvarez-doesn’t fit” decision a little more perplexing as Edson Alvarez may be short on creativity but generally puts in a shift for the shirt.