West Ham United are looking to rise back to the fore under the tutelage of Julen Lopetegui, having fallen flat under David Moyes at the end of his successful tenure last season.

The October international break is looming very large indeed, but supporters will be delighted with their side’s 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town last weekend, hopefully turning a corner after a slow start.

So many players haven’t looked up to scratch, with Edson Alvarez struggling to recover the top form that saw The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas laud him as West Ham’s “best summer signing”, effectively replacing the irreplaceable Declan Rice.

Edson Alvarez's performances this season

West Ham signed Alvarez from Dutch giants Ajax in August 2023, for a fee in the region of £35m. He was immense for large portions of the 2023/24 campaign, winning 2.6 tackles and 4.9 duels on average per Premier League game, as per Sofascore.

Thomas might have been effusive in his comments on the Mexico international last term, but he has recently singled out his “loss of form” and the detrimental effect that it has had on Lopetegui’s start to life in east London.

The 26-year-old was sent off against Liverpool as West Ham were drubbed 5-1 and continues to flatter to deceive. He needs to step it up under Lopetegui’s wing, for he looks a shell of himself and is hardly serving as the midfield general worthy of his predecessor, Rice.

What Lopetegui would give to have an academy superstar jump onto the scene and galvanise the club into action. Of course, there are a few that would hope to earn that role: George Earthy is at the forefront.

However, he’s not the only one, with Freddie Potts excelling out on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, one of the South Coast side’s bright sparks in a frustrating campaign.

Freddie Potts could be the next Declan Rice

Potts might not be a first-team regular at West Ham yet, but he’s certainly making his name known for Pompey. Journalist Ian Darke has noted that the 21-year-old has “caught the eye” with his performances.

He’s completed 70 appearances for the Irons’ youth ranks, also earning three senior outings, and signed a new three-year contract with the club in August 2023. After putting pen to paper, he claimed: “Declan Rice has been my role model since he’s pushed through into the first team.

“The way he’s gone through the Academy to become the player he has now – as West Ham captain and to play in the Euros at the moment with England – that really inspires me to try to follow his journey.”

Rice is now a superstar for title-chasing Arsenal, but he too enjoyed the humble beginning of rising through the Hammers’ academy system, and, like Potts, split his craft between central defence and deep-lying midfield.

Potts is a crisp distributor and a slick operator in the middle of the park, with a tenacious personality too. He’s proving that he can thrive in tough conditions and might just be the perfect young star to lift the club to another level next season.

Matches (starts)

4 (4)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches*

48.8

Pass completion

81%

Key passes*

0.0

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Tackles + interceptions*

3.0

Total duels (won)*

5.5 (58%)

Once hailed as West Ham’s “best prospect” and the long-term replacement” for the one and only Mark Noble by Thomas, Potts could take it one step further and assume the role of Rice’s heir. He’s got the talent.

Alvarez may need to watch out…

Moyes wanted £40m "monster" to replace Rice, but West Ham got Ward-Prowse

He would have been perfect for the east Londoners…

1 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 8, 2024