When the transfer window closes on Friday, there will be more exports than revenue for West Ham United.
Danny Ings, Maxwell Cornet, Nayef Aguirre and Kurt Zouma failed to make the matchday squad for the Carabao Cup win over Bournemouth. The quartet are expected to seal exits after being warned they do not feature in Julen Lopetegui’s plans.
Ings is in high demand following the arrival of striker Niklas Fulkrug from Borussia Dortmund for £27m. Cornet failed to catch the eye of the new manager during pre-season, while Aguirre and Zouma no longer form a dominant defensive partnership following the additions of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo.
A 1-0 win takes West Ham into the third round of the Carabao Cup, where they will face Liverpool. But the performance was far from convincing and highlighted the need for another midfield option.
Here, Atlético that the main points of the conversation.
What about potential exports?
Several players could still leave West Ham early, and they were conspicuous by their absence on Wednesday night.
An hour before the game, Cornet posted a picture on Instagram with the caption: “Time is of the essence.” The Ivory Coast international, who joined from Burnley for £17.5m in August 2022, has struggled since joining West Ham, scoring just one goal in 37 appearances. He could be there on Friday with reports. Telegraph Southampton are said to be interested in a loan move. Atlético This interest could not be confirmed. Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest were interested earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Ings came off the bench in the second half of the opening-day defeat to Aston Villa. It could be the 32-year-old striker’s final appearance for West Ham and Ings is expected to leave before the window closes. Since joining from Aston Villa in January 2023, Ings has scored four goals in 53 appearances in all competitions. He has no interest in playing in the Championship and prefers to remain in the top league.
Aguirre could leave West Ham (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Aguerde ruled out a move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg earlier this week. The 28-year-old Moroccan defender has attracted interest from clubs in the Saudi Arabian league and Turkey but is waiting for the right offer. His contract expires in 2027 and he has struggled with consistency during his two years in charge. His last appearance for West Ham was in the pre-season defeat to Celta Vigo at the start of August. He has not featured in the matchday squad this season.
The dominant defensive partnership was formed by Lopetegui Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos. Todibo, who joined from Nice on a first-season loan deal with an obligation to buy, is now the third choice. Aguerde has the same agent as Zuma and wants to leave before the window closes.
Earlier this summer, it was revealed that Zuma no longer had a long-term future at the London Stadium. The centre-back was set to join UAE side Shabab Al-Ahly but the deal fell through. West Ham allowed the Frenchman to stay abroad 11 times before being relegated. Zouma has now agreed a move to the Saudi Pro League club and is set to sign a two-year contract. Zouma, who is out of contract next summer, has made 103 appearances for West Ham since joining from Chelsea for £29m in 2021.
Andy Irving’s future remains unclear. The midfielder moved to West Ham last September but spent the season on loan at Klagenfurt in Austria. He was also initially not in the match-day squad against Bournemouth but was called up to the bench when Aaron Cresswell was injured in the warm-up. Irving has impressed in pre-season games against Ferencvaros, Dagenham and Redbridge but is yet to make his official debut. West Ham remain in the market for a midfielder, although new arrivals are dependent on the departure of wide players.
How did the new achievements develop?
Crysencio Summerville showed glimpses of his potential on his full-length debut. The £25m signing from Leeds United had two notable efforts on target. After the match, a member of Lopetegui’s coaching staff joked with Somerville about his chances of missing. The striker vowed to score in his next game.
Todibo endured a shaky start. The centre-back was booked for a foul on striker Daniel Jebbison and replaced Mavropanos at half-time. Lopetegui later revealed that Todibo had a minor problem, asked to leave the pitch and that his substitution was a precaution. Kilman and Wan-Bissaka had no problems breaking into the team and the duo put in another solid performance. Wan-Bissaka replaced Cresswell at left-back and impressed the defence with a key interception on Marcus Tavernier.
Summer signing Todibo played against Bournemouth (Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)
“We stuck together and eventually got the result we wanted,” Wan-Bissaka said. “It was a pride for me to play my first home game. The aim was to give my all for the team. Playing well comes with confidence and the ability to express yourself. That’s what the manager wants from me, so I’m trying to find my place. I settled in well, the lads were good and the fans were amazing. Everything is going in the right direction.”
Fulcrum dominated but struggled to test Bournemouth’s defence. Unlike Michail Antonio, the striker lacks pace and will struggle to get out of the starting line-up for a Jamaican international.
Is Carlos Soler needed?
After the hour, there was a passage of play where West Ham were behind, but the move backfired on Ward-Prowse. This led to loud groans from the crowd. The longer the first half went on, the clearer it became why West Ham wanted to increase their midfield options with a creative option like Carlos Soler.
If Lucas Paqueta and others are injured, Lopetegui still needs an attack. Ward-Prowse, Tomas Sucek and Edson Alvarez played poorly against Bournemouth, allowing them to build confidence and increase the pressure.
Lopetegui has been tight-lipped about any potential signings but a deal for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Soler is expected to be West Ham’s latest addition of the window.
