A decade on from leaving the iconic Boleyn Ground for the unloved London Stadium, and a mere three years after winning the Europa Conference League, a major reality check now swirls around relegated West Ham United.
The Hammers’ history is, of course, feted with reassuringly grand tales of glamour. One suspects that sense of history is front and centre of the brochure to attract new talent amid a bleak transition to the Championship.
Inevitably, departures of key players and a significant round of recycling is under way. Now, transfer ingenuity is vital for head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and new director of player recruitment Nils Koppen.
From a supporter perspective the hope is that, for prospective targets, West Ham will trade heavily on their name and, arguably, aura, as opposed to the humdrum potential of life in the Championship. They will also contend that the disappointment of relegation is offset slightly by the departures of unpopular directors Karren Brady and David Sullivan, although the latter remains the club’s largest single shareholder. Nevertheless, despite uncertainty over prospects a short-lived residence in the second tier is still expected.
With Koppen arriving at the Hammers earlier this month, it suggests a least a note of forward thinking for a club busy putting out fires. And the job facing the Belgian, who previously worked at Rangers, FC Copenhagen and PSV Eindhoven, includes bringing value in terms of both experienced players and uncut diamonds with healthy sell-on value.
Who could leave?
Enforced change is part of the current landscape for West Ham. No player is off limits as a consequence of the drop. The sale of Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur for £85m is excellent business, although the imminent exit of talisman Crysencio Summerville appears a harsher blow.
The winger and fan favourite is on the brink of moving to Roma for around £45m, despite interest from Aston Villa. Summerville’s impressive World Cup performances with the Netherlands have boosted both his marketability and a fee which Nuno can reinvest on more prosaic operators capable of settling into the earthy demands of the Championship.
While West Ham sources suggest there is no rush to sell Konstantinos Mavropanos, the reality is that the Greek stopper has his price. Valued at around £18m he is on the radar of clubs at home and abroad. The new “sell high, buy low” policy needs to kick in immediately, with the Hammers posting a loss of £104.2m last year.
James Ward-Prowse was loaned out to Burnley last term. Nuno would not be against allowing the 31-year-old to leave, although his vast experience might still tilt the head coach’s thinking as the ex-England international enters the final year of his contract. Similar consideration surrounds Tomas Soucek, in the same situation. Should West Ham lean on their know-how to get out of the Championship at the first attempt, or cash in for fairly modest fees?
Niclas Fullkrug struggled upon arrival in east London and the German forward’s career stagnated further with a disappointing loan spell at AC Milan in the second half of 2025-26. With two years left on his West Ham deal, even relatively modest offers will be welcomed. Meanwhile, winger Maxwel Cornet, on loan at Genoa last term, will be allowed to depart too.
Who could stay?
With the understandable temptation to retain Ward-Prowse and Soucek for the time being, Jarrod Bowen’s decision to remain at West Ham represents the best news of the summer to date for fans. Such rare sense of loyalty by the Hammers’ captain and role model, who has signed a revised contract, is to be absolutely admired.
Bowen narrowly missed out on an England World Cup squad place and has been reassured by West Ham’s short term plans following discussions with key shareholder Daniel Kretinsky and board member Jiri Svarc.
Similarly, Taty Castellanos appears more likely at this point to remain than leave the London Stadium, despite interest from Everton. The Argentine forward netted seven goals in 22 appearances, only arriving at West Ham in January from Lazio, and appears to be on board for the Championship assault.
Who could come in?
With various positions requiring reinforcement, the east Londoners could look north of the border for squad-boosting value.
The Hammers have struggled to find an attacking creator since Lucas Paqueta left in January. Celtic’s Reo Hatate has made his wish to leave the Scottish champions clear – and the 28-year-old’s precise passing sensibilities and versatility across midfield is an attractive package. Koppen will have close up knowledge of the Japanese player’s qualities across Glasgow from his spell as Rangers sporting director.
Koppen’s time at Ibrox may also yield a strong centre -half in the shape of John Souttar. The Scotland international is a siege defender with deep European experience too. It would come as no surprise if Koppen recommends the Gers centre-half to Nuno. Souttar currently interests Leicester City, but a fresh start at a higher level would have greater appeal.
Ironically, Souttar’s brother, Harry, has been linked with a move to the Hammers from Leicester, his stock rising since featuring at the World Cup for Australia. However, West Ham face competition from Championship rivals Sheffield United and Stoke City.
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