The West Ham board have pulled no punches when asked whether they regret missing out to Leeds for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, blaming former manager Graham Potter.

West Ham’s struggles this season can be traced back to the club’s failure to sign more strikers in the summer.

Meanwhile Leeds United have made a much better fist of things after signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin following a brutal snub by the Hammers.

The world and its wife knew the Hammers needed at least two new forwards heading into what was always going to be a fiercely competitive Premier League season.

West Ham confirm Potter snubbed Leeds star Calvert-Lewin

Especially with the likes of newly-promoted Leeds spending big in a bid to remain in the top flight.

Now the West Ham board have laid the blame for their deep Leeds regret squarely at the door of former manager Graham Potter.

Is Cry the spark to ignite our ‘Great Escape’? 🪏 🔦

And the Hammers’ hierarchy have lauded Nuno Espirito Santo for living in the real world.

Calvert-Lewin was linked with a move to West Ham in every single transfer window for the last three years until joining Leeds as a free agent in the summer.

The ex England forward was offered to the Hammers again in the summer.

West Ham’s snubbed Calvert-Lewin due to his injury record, exclusively telling Hammers News last summer: “The injuries are the problem. When you need him, he’s not available.”

Well Calvert-Lewin has certainly been available when Leeds have needed him. And then some.

It is fair to say the Hammers have been left red-faced by that decision, with the capture proving inspired business which looks set to keep Leeds up – possibly at West Ham’s expense at the time of writing.

The striker has scored 10 Premier League goals for Leeds already, earning a place on The Telegraph’s list of the 20 signings of the season.

West Ham board regret Calvert-Lewin decision and laud Nuno for twin striker signing

The list has highlighted the fact Calvert-Lewin has won the second most aerial duels (81) of all forwards while scoring over a quarter of Leeds’ Premier League goals this season, one of only four players to do so in 2025-26.

Now the West Ham board have admitted their deep regret at not taking up the offer to sign Calvert-Lewin, blaming Potter and lauding Nuno for waking up and smelling the relegation coffee when he arrived.

Could Eli Junior Kroupi be West Ham’s biggest ever ‘one that got away’?

The Hammers agreed a £35m fee for him…

Now West Ham’s owners have conceded they regret listening to Potter and snubbing Calvert-Lewin only for him to be the difference-maker at Elland Road.

“Yes we regret not signing Calvert-Lewin, especially on a free transfer,” the most senior spokesman for West Ham’s owners exclusively told Hammers News.

“But Mr Potter didn’t want a forward and would not let us sign or buy one.

“Nuno came in and immediately identified that he wanted two and it has helped us massively.”

In fairness to Potter, his refusal to take Calvert-Lewin may have looked a valid one at the time.

West Ham have been criticised for signing injury-prone forwards such as Niclas Fullkrug.

And doubts over Calvert-Lewin’s injury record were well founded at the time.

The total number of days he had missed amounted to 1,373.

That is over three-and-a-half years on the sidelines in the last decade.

But it is clear West Ham’s pain at missing out has been Leeds United’s gain.

Although it is at Potter’s door that the Hammers are laying the blame.