Spurs Ramsey move leaves West Ham & kudus out of options
Amid West Ham United’s public acknowledgment of their unsuccessful pursuit of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, another — arguably more pressing — disappointment from the summer transfer window has quietly emerged.
When a Hammers spokesperson confirmed that Ramsey was on his way to Tottenham Hotspur, they also dropped a subtle yet telling detail: West Ham had tried to sign him too. Whether this was a calculated revelation or an unintended slip, the message was clear — Ramsey turned down West Ham in favor of Spurs.
To be fair, while Ramsey is a talented young player with good potential, he isn’t exactly a game-changing superstar. The fact that he chose Tottenham — a club preparing for Champions League football next season — is understandable. Despite long-standing rivalries and a healthy dislike for Spurs in the East End, one can’t begrudge a player for chasing European nights on a bigger stage.
But while the Ramsey snub may sting a little, the bigger concern lies elsewhere — and it’s one that should have fans genuinely worried.
Sunderland’s Surprise Swoop for Habib Diarra
In what would be a far more perplexing turn of events, reports now suggest that newly promoted Sunderland have beaten West Ham to the signing of Habib Diarra. The 20-year-old Strasbourg midfielder had been on the Hammers’ radar for over a month, with negotiations reportedly ongoing throughout that time. Yet, in the final stretch, it appears that Sunderland have swooped in and sealed a deal under West Ham’s nose.
That development, should it be confirmed, would be a real blow. Diarra is regarded as a highly promising talent with the kind of energy and technical quality West Ham’s midfield could badly use. To lose out on him to a club making its return to the Premier League after years in the lower tiers — and one that will likely face a relegation fight — would be a major misstep in recruitment strategy.
Ramsey to Spurs: The Domino Effect on Kudus
Perhaps the most significant consequence of Tottenham’s swoop for Jacob Ramsey, however, is the indirect impact it could have on Mohammed Kudus — West Ham’s standout attacker who has attracted interest from several elite clubs this summer.
Just a week ago, Kudus was reportedly being tracked by five major Premier League sides: Newcastle United, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Spurs. Yet, that list has rapidly dwindled. Newcastle appear to have shifted their focus to Brighton’s Joao Pedro. Arsenal and Manchester United are now prioritizing other targets. And now with Tottenham’s midfield bolstered by Ramsey, they too seem to be bowing out of the Kudus race.
That leaves only Chelsea — but their approach is far from straightforward.
Chelsea’s Lowballing and Swap Proposals
Despite having the resources to buy Kudus outright, Chelsea have been reluctant to meet West Ham’s valuation of the Ghanaian international. Instead, they have reportedly proposed a series of convoluted swap deals, offering players that David Moyes and the club hierarchy have no real interest in. Rather than engaging in a serious bid, it seems the Blues are trying to bargain shop — a tactic that risks dragging the saga into the final weeks of the window.
So now, with the market narrowing and other suitors walking away, West Ham face a precarious situation. There’s a growing possibility that Kudus may still be at the London Stadium next season — not because the club wanted to keep him, but because they couldn’t generate the right offer in time.
A Ticking Clock and Financial Realities
If West Ham still intend to sell Kudus this summer — either for PSR reasons or to reinvest in other areas — they may soon be forced to act decisively. Owners David Sullivan and Daniel Křetínský could have to either accept a less favorable deal or pull the plug and focus on strengthening the squad around him.
The longer this saga drags on, the more it hampers West Ham’s ability to move forward in the market. The club risks being left in limbo — unable to offload one of their biggest assets and potentially missing out on key replacements, like Diarra, because of delays and indecision.
Final Thoughts
This summer window is shaping up to be a pivotal one for West Ham. The club has already suffered some recruitment setbacks — missing out on Jacob Ramsey to Spurs and, more worryingly, potentially losing Habib Diarra to Sunderland. Now, the Kudus situation threatens to spiral into a farcical standoff.
If Chelsea continue to lowball, and no new bidders emerge, West Ham could be left with an unsettled player and a missed opportunity to reinvest. At the very least, the club needs to take control of the narrative, firm up their stance on Kudus, and explore smarter, more aggressive alternatives.
Otherwise, a promising window could quickly descend into a frustrating cycle of near misses and what-ifs.