Midway through the January transfer window, West Ham United first expressed an interest in recalling James Ward-Prowse from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest.

Ferguson was the primary target — young, hungry for more game time than he was getting — and duly picked West Ham over a whole host of interested parties. Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and Bournemouth were just some of the clubs who explored the logistics of a move for the Republic of Ireland international.

Graham Potter’s transfer strategy at West Ham could be hit this summer if chairman, David Sullivan, has to find as much as £25m to plug a financial gap.They and other players that might be of