The ongoing saga of West Ham’s failure to sign a decent front man transcends several coaches and technical directors. With the benefit of 20:20 hindsight, it would seem that even amidst all of his nonsensical tactics and failed strategies, former boss Graham Potter did make one correct call.

Back in February, Potter managed to secure Evan Ferguson on loan in a bid to strengthen a squad that was struggling for firepower up front. The Republic of Ireland striker arrived with promise, but his impact was minimal, clocking just 137 minutes of game time without registering a goal or assist. Critics blamed Potter for not selecting him: It appears that other managers, since that ill-fated loan spell, have agreed with the former Hammers head coach in his assessment of Ferguson.

Allowing Ferguson to languish on the bench was criticised at the time

In July 2025, Ferguson joined Roma on a season-long loan, with an option to buy. The move was seen as a strategic step to gain experience in a new league and reignite his form.

However, things didn’t go as planned. Despite featuring regularly, Ferguson has struggled to adapt to Roma’s tactical setup and Serie A’s defensive rigour. Nine...