Irankunda Link Hints West Ham Have The Right Summerville Plan B

By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)

West Ham are reportedly keeping tabs on Watford’s Nestory Irankunda, with Australian Football News reporting on X that the Hammers are monitoring the young Australian winger as the club weighs up its options out wide.

I have to say, this is exactly the type of profile we should be hunting, and the timing of the story makes it a lot more interesting than a routine summer link.

With Crysencio Summerville now sniffing a move to Manchester United, the search for a wide attacker will have  already begun if the club are on their toes.

Summerville Exit Forces A Rethink Out Wide

Manchester United have been busy circling our better assets, and Summerville has now joined Mateus Fernandes at the top of their summer shortlist.

Honestly, it feels less and less like a question of if and more like a question of when.

The Dutchman’s representatives have been hinting for a Premier League return ever since relegation was confirmed, and Old Trafford appears more than willing to listen.

Reports suggest West Ham are holding out for somewhere in the region of £50 million for Summerville, which sounds about right when you remember we paid Leeds United £25 million for him just over a year ago.

Whether United are prepared to pay up remains to be seen.

But make no mistake, if a sensible offer lands, he will be allowed to go.

Irankunda Fits The Brief Exactly

What makes the Irankunda story more interesting is that it suggests somebody at the London Stadium has actually thought about the kind of player West Ham now need.

The 20-year-old grabbed a goal in Australia’s 2-0 win over Turkey at the World Cup and has been one of the standout younger names of the tournament so far.

Quick, direct, energetic and capable of beating his man. That is precisely the profile the recruitment team should be working to.

Personally, I am far more interested in this kind of signing than an old codger brought in at twice the price and half the hunger.

Irankunda is contracted to Watford until 2030, so it goes without saying he isn’t going to come cheap.

But the Hammers should have serious money to spend once the Summerville sale is wrapped up, and reinvesting it in a young, hungry winger feels far more sensible than chasing established names who would need convincing to drop down to a project club.

Time To Get The Recruitment Right

With several senior players now expected to stay rather than push for the exit door, the squad already has a healthy spine of experience to lean on.

What it needs is youth and pace.

Of course, all of this depends on whoever is currently overseeing transfers actually getting a wriggle on well before the window opens in earnest.