Graham Potter has urged his West Ham United players to secure a positive end to an extremely productive pre-season campaign when they welcome French top-flight side LOSC Lille to London Stadium for the BOYLE Sports Cup on Saturday.
Having first reported back to Rush Green on 7 July, the Hammers have been fine-tuning their preparations for the fresh 2025/26 Premier League season ever since, with overseas trips to Germany and the USA providing the perfect opportunity for on and off-field development.
A 3-1 win over Grasshopper Club Zürich preceded the Club’s participation in the Premier League Summer Series across the Atlantic, where West Ham were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Manchester United in New Jersey, before seeing off Everton 2-1 and AFC Bournemouth 2-0 in Chicago and Atlanta respectively.
Now back on home soil, Potter has taken time to reflect on the positive mood generated throughout his first pre-season in charge, while outlining his expectation that his team take another step forward against Lille ahead of their all-important visit to Sunderland on Saturday 16 August.
“I said at the end of last season that what we were really looking forward to most was the chance to enjoy a full pre-season here - valuable time to work closely with the players, develop the right culture and environment, and to build a strong platform for the season ahead,” said Potter.
“I certainly feel we’ve taken some really positive steps so far. We were helped by the fact that virtually the entire squad reported back on the first day, with the exception of Edson Álvarez, who we congratulate following his success in winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup for Mexico.
“We had a few days at Rush Green, followed by an excellent training camp in Germany, and then we travelled to the States, where we were able to take a step forward in terms of the tactical perspective and were exposed to the kinds of challenges we’re going to face in the new season.
“I think the Lille game is going to be another good, competitive test for us. They’re high quality opposition, who will be playing in Europe next season, so we’re looking forward to getting out there and taking that final step towards being ready for the big trip to Sunderland.”
Bruno Génésio’s Lille are indeed among the continent’s big hitters, with their fifth-place finish in Ligue 1 last season earning them a spot in the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, and their squad boasting the likes of Osame Sahraoui, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson and former Arsenal and Chelsea striker, Olivier Giroud.
Giroud is indeed one of five new signings made by Les Dogues this summer, while back at West Ham there have also been a number of additions made within the playing and coaching ranks.
Potter added: “On the playing side, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson have come in. They will each bring different qualities and strengths to the pitch, but the one thing they all have in common is their determination to put the collective team objective first and help us to create the right mentality among the group.
“On the coaching staff, Casper Ankergren has arrived as Lead First-Team Goalkeeper Coach, and will be assisted by Linus Kandolin. I have worked with both guys previously, at Brighton and Ostersunds respectively, and they are excellent coaches who will really help us.
“As a group, we’ve enjoyed being able to spend a lot of time developing a really good team spirit. The players and staff are really connected, and there’s a lot of togetherness in the group. We’re really happy with the environment, and really happy with the culture, and hopefully that will only continue to grow as we go forward.”
