Graham Potter tipped to make £30m man his first West Ham signing as Chelsea set sights on long-term Newcastle target

New West Ham United boss Graham Potter is keen to get straight to work on the transfer front after making a return to the Premier League after nearly a two-year absence from top-flight management.

The ex-Chelsea boss is determined to add a fresh spark to the Hammers’ underperforming team, which is so far in the bottom half for goals scored, big chances missed, chance creation, corners won, possession and overall XG.

The East London outfit were tipped to compete for a European finish after having a net spend of £85.8m over the summer, but have so far struggled to produce the attacking qualities that fans had been accustomed to in the peak years of David Moyes’ reign.

Potter is renowned for playing an attractive brand of football and believes Chelsea outcast Kieran Dewsbury-Hall could be the type of footballer to help the team climb the table.

Dewsbury-Hall spearheaded Leicester City to the Championship title last season and won the Club’s Player of the Year award before following Enzo Maresca to Stamford Bridge after completing a £30m move.

However, the 26-year-old has been limited to just 15 appearances this season, with most of those coming in the Europa Conference League.

The Nottingham-born midfielder is yet to start a Premier League match for the Blues and has not featured since a brief cameo against Southampton at the start of December.

3AM Verdict: West Ham have lacked a creative spark this season and have been desperately short of quality going forward in a miserable first half of the season under Julen Lopetegui.

Dewsbury-Hall after registering 12 goals and 14 assists at Championship level last term, has proven he is capable of unlocking doors in opposition defences, and is probably in need of a move to a new club after struggling to dislodge Cole Palmer and even Joao Felix behind him.

This move would make sense for both parties and could reinvigorate the 26-year-old’s season.

Chelsea set sights on long-term Newcastle United target

Newcastle United spent almost the entire summer chasing Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi but were unable to prise him away from Selhurst Park after more than three failed attempts.

Sky Sports, however, understands the Magpies remain undeterred in the race to sign Guehi, as the 24-year-old approaches the final 18 months of his contract.

However, the outlet understands that Newcastle’s path to signing Guehi remains complex and claims that Chelsea have emerged as the new frontrunners as they seek cover for Wesley Fofana after his most recent injury.

WATCH: Which wonderkids have impressed our expert panel? And why are some clubs getting more out of young players than others?

The outlet adds that Chelsea have a 20% sell-on percentage into Guehi’s contract, which would essentially give them an advantage in negotiations and potentially allow them to sign him on a cut-price fee.

3AM verdict: Newcastle United persistence on moving solely for Marc Guehi proved to be their downfall in the last transfer window and partially contributed to the club’s lacklustre start.

If they are to move for Guehi, they will need to do it sooner rather than later, and will need to have alternative options in mind if they are to continue pushing for centre-back reinforcements.

From a Chelsea perspective, the signing of Guehi could be one that helps take the team to the next level. As it stands, Wesley Fofana remains sidelined by injury while the likes of Tosin Adariaboyo, Benoit Badiashille and Axel Diasi have all struggled to impress when partnered alongside Levi Colwill.