West Ham’s planning for life post- Lucas Paquetá is something that has emerged again into the media spotlight: ‘Will he stay or will he leave’ rose again to the top of the agenda this weekend as his agents were reported as being in contact with his old club Flamenco.
Whatever the veracity of those reports, it makes sense for West Ham to have a plan B in place for the summer as the outcome of the FA enquiry is still an unknown quantity. Interesting to see reports of the Hammers’ continued interest in one young midfielder, originating in the January window as the club appear committed to pursue him in the summer despite a reported failed bid last month.
Ezechiel Banzuzi was a West Ham target in January but his club OH Leuven managed to hold on to their player until the end of this season.
Reports suggest there is a resignation, however, that he will be allowed to leave in the summer. Although only 19, the youngster has 58 league appearances and is already an international at u21 level.
London World reported just before the weekend that OH Leuven’s Director acknowledged the teenaged talent is ready for the big time:“We have agreed with Eze that he’ll finish the season. We will definitely give him the next step in the summer. He’s completely outgrown the competition, hasn’t he? He plays on one leg”
West Ham boss Potter is said to be a fan of attacking midfielder Banzuzi, “and it’s claimed Leuven will demand a £12million fee to sanction a sale. West Ham may already be looking to the future with Lucas Paquetá having been regularly linked with a move away over the last year or so.”
As a summer signing at a decent price, Banzuzi represents an exciting future for West Ham. The right age profile for future growth into a Premier League – quality player without the £50 million price tag.
How to grab him before the usual Premier League competitors vie for his signature – that’s the tricky part.
bringing more Scottish players into the PL will also mean a stronger Scottish national side, bringing about the occurence of a few more victories for Scotland in the neighbouring countries’ derby 😁
Similar to Guilherme.
No need to grab him as we’ve already got him.
Selling him would contradict this article.
Sister club with Leicester city, will probably be another Kroupi situation
Been looking at new boy Josh Landers from Hibernian. Wondering what it is with our clubs sudden interest in Scottish players. Done a bit of research and found out it’s to do with Brexit.
Here’s what chat gpt says about it:
Since Brexit, English Premier League (EPL) clubs have had to adjust their recruitment strategies, and one key consequence has been increased interest in Scottish talent. Here’s why:
1. Stricter Work Permit Rules for EU Players
• Before Brexit, EPL clubs could freely sign players from the EU without work permit restrictions.
• Now, European players must meet a points-based system to qualify for a UK work permit.
• This has made it harder to sign young, unproven players from places like France, Spain, or Germany.
2. Scottish Players Count as “Homegrown”
• Scottish players do not face work permit issues when moving to English clubs.
• They count towards the EPL’s “homegrown quota”, which requires teams to have a certain number of UK-trained players.
• This makes young Scottish talent more valuable than similarly talented EU players.
3. Lower Transfer Costs Compared to English Talent
• Scottish clubs have smaller budgets, meaning players are often cheaper than English counterparts.
• For example, an EPL club might sign a Scottish teenager for £1-2 million, whereas an English academy prospect could cost significantly more.
4. Scottish Football’s Growing Reputation
• The Scottish Premiership is producing more high-quality young players (e.g., Nathan Patterson, Calvin Ramsay).
• Some recent Scottish exports (like Andy Robertson and John McGinn) have thrived in the Premier League, encouraging further scouting.
Conclusion
Since Brexit limits the pool of easily available young players, Scottish football has become a natural recruiting ground for English clubs. With no work permit issues, homegrown status, and lower transfer fees, Scottish prospects are now an increasingly attractive option for Premier League teams.
I am old enough to remember the days when most of the then 1st Division clubs had a few Scottish players in the team. So going back that route isn’t such a bad idea. Although it’s good the Hammers are looking for good young players from other countries, I am sure there must be similar good players in Scotland and the Championship that can be developed in to EPL standard players.