West Ham United need to sign two midfielders this summer if they want to completely turn their fortunes around.

There have been some clear signs of progress in the team over the summer, thanks to Graham Potter and his staff. However, to completely transform this team and to have an exciting season this time out, we need to sign two central midfielders.

Potter appears to have chosen the 5-3-2 formation to start next season, and even after five pre-season games, the only guaranteed starter in midfield is Lucas Paqueta. This means two spots are still well and truly up for grabs.

With the first match of the Premier League coming up on Saturday, it’s fair to assume that those two spots will be filled by Freddie Potts and James Ward-Prowse. While Potts has impressed in pre-season, there is no doubt Potter would rather not have to rely on the youngster in the first game. JWP has been far from impressive in pre-season and really shouldn’t be starting.

It is important that we sign two midfielders; however, the most important one we sign is the more advanced one to play alongside Paqueta and ahead of Potts. We obviously won’t get anyone in before Sunderland, but it would be ideal to get one in before Chelsea next Friday.

A move for Matheus Fernandes now looks increasingly unlikely, so it may be time to move for one of the alternatives, whether that be Andrey Santos of Chelsea or Ngal’ayel Mukau of LOSC Lille, or in an ideal world, both of those.

Mukau would probably be the perfect signing to get in first due to his ability to play anywhere in midfield, especially as both a 6 and an 8, both positions we are so desperate for. Someone like Andrey Santos could be signed later in the window because Chelsea may need to sell if they continue to spend, or maybe we could get him on loan.

Our opponents are easily finding gaps in our team to attack. Because of the way we play, it often leaves us open on the counter, and to counteract that, we need some youthful and energetic midfielders who can cover a lot of ground to play alongside Paqueta. Mukau has all of those attributes and would be a great deal at under £20m.