West Ham & Daniel Kretinsky will always love Graham Potter for one thing | OneFootball

Graham Potter will always be loved at West Ham United for one particular thing he dud for Daniel Kretinsky and West Ham supporters...

Daniel Kretinsky's time as West Ham United owner has already been defined by significant change, with the Hammers having had a strange few years from David Moyes and Graham Potter to now under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Since taking control of the club, the Czech businessman has overseen a period of considerable transition both on and off the pitch, with those aforementioned managerial changes, evolving recruitment strategies and, ultimately, the disappointment of relegation to the Championship in 2026.

Few could have envisaged West Ham United finding themselves outside the Premier League so soon after competing in Europe, but attention has now turned towards ensuring the club is well-equipped for an immediate return. That task is far from straightforward now and relegation inevitably brings financial challenges.

Naturally, several of West Ham's best players have attracted interest from elsewhere. Balancing the books without completely dismantling the squad has become one of the biggest priorities of the summer, with Kretinsky and the club's hierarchy needing to make difficult decisions over who stays and who leaves.

Why Daniel Kretinsky will love what Graham Potter did with Mateus Fernandes

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Kretinsky will undoubtedly be determined to provide the resources required for another promotion push, but equally, West Ham must remain financially responsible. The Championship has become an increasingly competitive division, with even clubs that have Premier League resources struggling to simply spend their way back to the top.

Smart recruitment, sensible sales, and long-term planning have become just as important as financial muscle, albeit West Ham will want a summer transfer where they can flex theirs. Going back to the Graham Potter time at the club, for example, it's fair to say not every decision made during his spell in charge proved to be successful.

Results ultimately failed to meet expectations, with the former Chelsea manager unable to prevent the club's slide towards relegation. His tenure was undoubtedly a frustrating one for supporters, particularly given the optimism that accompanied his appointment.

However, one piece of business from Potter's reign may end up shaping West Ham's future for years to come. His backing of the move for Mateus Fernandes has proven to be an inspired decision. Per Sky Sports, Potter was absolutely "delighted" when West Ham secured the midfielder's signature from Southampton for £42 million.

He and West Ham believed the young Portuguese international possessed all the attributes required to thrive in the Premier League. In spite of relegation, that faith has been emphatically rewarded. Alongside Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville, Fernandes quickly established himself as one of the club's standout performers in an attacking sense.

He has regularly shown maturity beyond his years. Even during a difficult campaign collectively, he consistently enhanced his reputation and became one of the brightest young midfielders in English football. Now, following reports from David Ornstein that the Hammers are guaranteed £85 million from his move to Tottenham Hotspur, that recruitment decision looks even more impressive.

It's aged incredibly well as the transfer provides a huge financial boost for West Ham at a crucial moment. Rather than entering the summer solely focused on reducing costs following relegation, the Hammers suddenly possess significant funds to reshape the squad.

The impact of Mateus Fernandes' sale by West Ham

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Fernandes' sale alone goes a long way towards offsetting the financial impact of West Ham dropping into the Championship and should provide far greater flexibility in the transfer market than many supporters initially expected.

Successful recruitment can sometimes leave a lasting legacy, even when a manager's overall spell is viewed as disappointing. Potter, ultimately, will not be remembered fondly for West Ham's results or league position he left them in, but his role in bringing Fernandes to the London Stadium deserves enormous credit.

Alongside the recruitment team, he helped identify, back, and develop a player who has now generated a huge return on the initial £42 million they paid; it is exactly the type of business modern football clubs strive to achieve.

For Kretinsky, that windfall should now prove to be transformative, even if further sales are required. That's because it should allow West Ham to retain more quality elsewhere in the squad than many feared while also starting to strengthen key areas ahead of another promotion push.

They have been waiting for their outgoings to head out before thinking of incomings, but such a fee will unlock the ability to make signings happen. In the end, Potter's reign may not have delivered the success everyone hoped for, but one outstanding transfer decision has ensured his influence will continue to benefit West Ham long after his departure.