Over the course of David Moyes' tenure, West Ham United have become notorious for doing the ugly side of the game well, showcasing their aggression and physicality, defending in a low block and hitting teams on the counter-attack.
While remnants of that game plan still remain, the Hammers are now enjoying more possession of the ball and that is down to the signing of master technician, James Ward-Prowse. Since joining from Southampton, the 28-year-old has scored or assisted in every game he's played, with his technical quality shining through.
Ward-Prowse isn't the only astute signing to have left his mark at the London stadium. Mohammed Kudus, who completed a £38m switch from Ajax this summer, is slowly unleashing his star-like qualities that saw him become one of the hottest commodities in Europe, having scored against Backa Tapola in midweek.
West Ham's astute and accurate transfer dealings have helped stimulate their exceptional start to the season, but it isn't the only time when Moyes has shown ambition in the transfer window.
In January 2022, West Ham launched an ambitious move to prize Raphinha away from Leeds, but their attempts to sign the Brazilian winger – who could have been an upgrade on fellow forward Said Benhrama – were knocked back.
Why didn't West Ham sign Raphinha?
West Ham were determined to strengthen their squad during the 2022 winter window to boost their Champions League qualification hopes. They set their sights on raiding Leeds' two prized possessions, Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, but ultimately failed in their pursuit.
The signing of the latter man, at the time, would have helped provide further support to lone forward Michail Antonio from the right flank while also being able to play in a number of positions.
Although they were prepared to fork out club-record fees upwards of £50m for the pair, as reported by the Guardian, Marcelo Bielsa was adamant that they would be staying put at Elland Road.
During that period, Leeds were fighting for their lives against relegation and selling their best players would have been detrimental to their season, likely resulting in relegation to the Championship.
While the Whites survived by the skin of their teeth on the final day, West Ham dropped out of Champions League contention, finishing in seventh place. The outcome of their season, however, could have been a lot different if they managed to sign Raphinha.
How good is Raphinha?
Praised by former teammate Dan James as a "magician", Raphinha is a fleet-footed winger who catches the eye with his wand of a left foot, using it to devastating effect during his time at Leeds.
He made the £17m move to West Yorkshire on deadline day in 2020 and quickly became a fan favourite at Elland Road, displaying his ability to not only create opportunities for his teammates but also weigh in with several important goals.
The 18-cap Brazil international showcased his vision, skill and mouth-watering technique to drag Leeds through matches on numerous occasions, becoming their match-winner and the one player they could rely on for a piece of individual brilliance, often providing that in abundance.
Raphinha made a sharp rise to stardom following his world-class performances, chalking up 29 goal contributions in 67 appearances, alerting several of Europe's big hitters.
Although many were interested in luring him away, Barcelona would win the race to land the 26-year-old for £55m last year, and he has since become one of the best wingers on the planet.
The £210k per-week wizard, who was described by pundit Graeme Souness as "extremely talented", has demonstrated that talent on the domestic and European stage for Barca.
Last season, Raphinha plundered 10 goals and 12 assists in all competitions, only behind Robert Lewandowski in that regard, which is a testament to how he's seamlessly stepped up to the plate and delivered a glowing indication of his talents.
That is in stark contrast to what Benrahma achieved last term, with the former Brentford man scoring 12 times, yet providing just five assists in all competitions, having been branded something of an "enigma" by journalist Paul Brown.
The Algerian playmaker has also flattered to deceive so far this season with just one assist from his six appearances thus far, while Raphinha, meanwhile, has recorded three goal contributions in just four games for the La Liga giants.
As per FBref, the ex-Leeds ace ranks among the top 10% of wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, non-penalty xG, passes into the penalty area, crosses and shots on target per 90, further illustrating the full array of his devastating brilliance.
Throughout the past few years, the £32m (€37m) valued Raphinha, as per Football Transfers, has taken the responsibility of being a star man – like at Leeds – in his stride, but since moving to Catalonia, has shown he can shine among several world-class stars, emphasizing why Moyes was so desperate to bring him to West Ham previously.
