Graham Potter’s dream West Ham XI for 25-26: Kudus sale funds six new signings…

West Ham United are in major need of a rebuild in Graham Potter’s first summer as manager – but who exactly will the Hammers be looking to sign?

The £55million sale of Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham will need to finance several new signings to revitalise an ageing squad that finished a disappointing 14th last season.

We have looked into 11 players who could make up Potter’s dream West Ham XI for the coming season, lining up in a 3-4-3 formation.

GK: Zion Suzuki

Potter has told chairman David Sullivan that West Ham need six signings this summer, starting with a new goalkeeper.

Long-serving Lukasz Fabianski left the Hammers at the end of last season, while doubts remain over Alphonse Areola’s ability to play out from the back.

Wary of signing an expensive bench-warmer, Potter has targeted Suzuki and hopes to beat Leeds United to his signature.

The 22-year-old joined Parma last summer and, in his debut season, featured in 37 league games while keeping eight clean sheets.

Suzuki also has 18 caps for Japan and will want guarantees of first-team football before next summer’s World Cup.

RWB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Signed from Manchester United for £15million last summer, Wan-Bissaka was a rare success story in a difficult season for West Ham and won the club’s Hammer of the Year Award.

While his defensive strengths were heralded during his five years at Old Trafford, the 27-year-old was an attacking revelation in 2024-25 and memorably assisted Jarrod Bowen’s winner at Arsenal.

Wan-Bissaka’s versatility allows him to play on the left flank and centre-back if needed, making him one of the first names on Potter’s team sheet.

CB: Jean-Clair Todibo

After making enough appearances on loan last season, Todibo has automatically joined West Ham for £35million this summer.

The centre-back took time to acclimatise to English football and was rumoured to have been involved in a dressing room altercation with Julen Lopetegui during the defeat to Arsenal in November.

But Todibo started most matches after Potter’s arrival in January and sometimes showed why Manchester United and Juventus were previously linked with his signature.

There are rumours that West Ham may look to cash in on Todibo this summer, but Potter will back his coaching ability to coax further improvement from the France international.

CB: Max Kilman

Slightly underwhelming after his £40million move from Wolves last summer, Kilman has a point to prove in 2025-26.

The 28-year-old was neither the commanding leader nor the accomplished ball-player many Hammers fans expected as the side leaked goals for fun under Lopetegui.

But Kilman was part of the defence that tightened up considerably under Potter and he can thrive with a solid and reliable defender alongside him…

CB: Charlie Cresswell

And we’ve picked out Cresswell as the man to provide much-needed robustness to the Hammers’ backline.

The former Leeds defender is free to leave Toulouse this summer and impressed as part of the England squad that won the Under-21 European Championship.

Aged just 22, Cresswell can help bring down the average age of a squad that was the oldest in the Premier League last season.

Funds could be raised through the sale of Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos, both of whom will be allowed to leave if a suitable offer arrives.

LWB: El Hadji Malick Diouf

West Ham’s dithering may allow Leeds to swoop in at the last minute, but Diouf is widely expected to move to the London Stadium this summer.

The 20-year-old currently plays for Slavia Prague, the same club Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal joined from, and started for Senegal in their recent win over England.

With the Kudus money in the bank, West Ham can now pay the £21million asking price. The unsettled Emerson Palmieri and raw Ollie Scarles will have some much-needed competition.

CM: Hayden Hackney

Despite a plethora of midfielders at their disposal, West Ham have the problem that none of them are dynamic enough for the Premier League.

Edson Alavarez is one-paced, James Ward-Prowse has stamina without speed, Tomas Soucek is slowing down despite continuing to pop with goals and Guido Rodriguez is a highly-paid mistake.

Without wanting to rely on Andy Irving, Potter is in the market for two midfielders and has been linked with a move for 23-year-old Hackney.

The Middlesbrough man was part of England’s under-21 winning squad this summer and has attracted attention from several Premier League clubs.

Everton, Brentford, Fulham and Crystal Palace, as well as European sides Porto, Stuttgart, and Bayer Leverkusen, are in for Hackney.

It would be a coup to bring him to the London Stadium amid fierce competition, but Hackney is capable of making Potter’s new-look midfield tick.

CM: Yunus Musah

While several fans would be pleased to see the reliable and prolific Soucek retain his starting place, many more accept the need to evolve past a comfort blanket from the David Moyes era.

And West Ham have reportedly entered the race to sign 22-year-old Musah from AC Milan.

While Napoli remain the favourites for the USA international, talks between the two Serie A clubs have stalled and TeamTalk reported that the Hammers have registered their interest.

Musah would provide some much-needed physicality to a brittle midfield; forget Declan Rice, West Ham could do with a successor to Cheikhou Kouyate.

RW: Jarrod Bowen

Captain, top goalscorer and married to the daughter of Hammers superfan Danny Dyer – Bowen is going nowhere and West Ham would probably be relegated if he did.

QUIZ: Can you name West Ham’s top goalscorer from every Premier League season?

LW: Lucas Paqueta

The alleged betting offences and ensuing (and still undecided) court case have overshadowed Paqueta’s last two seasons at West Ham.

While the Brazil international will be banned from football if found guilty, and likely to be sold if cleared of all charges, we’re going out on a limb and sticking him in this dream line-up.

By far the most creative talent in the West Ham squad, Paqueta was immense in gutsy away performances at Aston Villa and Liverpool last season.

With a point to prove and the talent to do so, the 27-year-old could recapture the form that made him a cult hero in east London before events took over.

ST: Emanuel Emegha

One of the most cursed positions in English football, West Ham are in the market for another striker this summer.

Danny Ings and his hefty wages have left the building, Michail Antonio is likely to follow and Niclas Fullkrug’s future remains up in the air.

Both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Callum Wilson are available as free agents and we wouldn’t put it past the Hammers to sign one of them.

But perhaps breaking with convention and signing a different profile of forward will hearld better results?

Needing a speedy, dynamic and prolific forward on the cheap, West Ham could do worse than sign 22-year-old Emegha from Strasbourg.

Scorer of 22 goals in 55 league appearances for the French side, Emegha consistently gets into good positions and would provide much-needed pace up front.

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TRY A QUIZ: Can you name West Ham’s top Premier League goalscorer for every initial?