West Ham fans have been left reeling by a series of negative stories emerging from the club this week.
Graham Potter is already under pressure as West Ham fight to avoid being the worst team in the Premier League outside the bottom three.
Although one national newspaper is convinced the Hammers might even still be relegated this season.
That story is just one example of a string of the toxic cloud that is hanging over the Hammers right now.
There’s plenty more where that came from too.
It’s been claimed a host of top Hammers stars want out this summer.
The club continues to state finances are a mess with PSR set to restrict spending this summer.
Stream of negative news emerging from West Ham
Lucas Paqueta is apparently in a ‘living hell’ at West Ham if you believe what you read.
A host of the club’s top targets apparently don’t want to join.
The Hammers are set to sell fan favourite Tomas Soucek to Everton against his wishes and for a knockdown fee.
And even captain Jarrod Bowen’s name is not sacred, with a top club insider revealing Spurs want him and West Ham might sell if offered over £100m.
Then there are the likes of Edson Alvarez sending cryptic posts after the draw with Southampton having not been in the squad amid claims of a “disagreement” with Potter.
Next making the headlines was defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
Potter addresses stunning West Ham leak on Todibo behaviour
The French defender was one of – if not the – standout signings for the Hammers in their £155m spree last summer.
The 25-year-old arrived on season-long loan from Nice with an obligation to buy for £32m.
That was triggered as soon as Todibo made five Premier League starts – so long as West Ham were not relegated.
It is fair to say Todibo has had a very strange debut season at West Ham – on and off the pitch.
At times the former Barcelona flop has looked like an elite level centre-back.
But he has struggled with fitness, barely completing 90 minutes in any matches, and fell out with former manager Julen Lopetegui after a furious bust-up which allegedly came to blows during a 5-2 defeat to Arsenal.
Hammers defender has commitment questioned
In the wake of that incident it was even claimed Todibo was demanding to leave if Lopetegui was not sacked.
There have been claims Todibo regrets signing for West Ham.
Fresh speculation has also abound Todibo could leave West Ham to join Man United this summer.
Then came a report that Todibo wants out of West Ham if Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus are sold – as is expected this summer.
Now Potter has addressed a stunning new West Ham leak on Todibo’s behaviour amid a ‘quick flip’ sale claim.
Potter makes Todibo opinion clear amid ‘quick flip’ sale claim
Claret and Hugh claim the club are becoming ‘increasingly uneasy with the player’s regular requests to be substituted’.
The report quotes a training ground source saying that medical staff believe the defender ‘should have hit peak fitness by now’.
Todibo has even had his behaviour, attitude and commitment questioned as the source claimed he has ‘had to be encouraged to stay on the pitch on more than one occasion’ despite being ‘completely injury free’.
Top Hammers insider Sean Whetstone, who counts co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady among his contacts, doubled down on the fitness claims and revealed West Ham are looking to perform a ‘quick flip’ sale of Todibo when his move is made permanent this summer.
When Potter faced the press ahead of a return to former club Brighton, reporters were keen for him to address Todibo’s situation.
And he bit back, claiming he has enjoyed working with the defender and stating he believes he will prove his quality at West Ham next term with a full pre-season behind him.
“I think it was a bit tough for him at the start,” Potter said when asked about Todibo’s ongoing issues with fitness and finishing matches.
“Because he arrived late to pre-season and then had injury problems. There was quite a lot of change last summer, but overall it’s not been that easy for those players who have come in.
“But, I’ve really enjoyed working with JC. He’ll get better as he gets fitter and fitter, because he’s got some really high-level quality.”
