A sad 9th place and the suspicious betting affair concerning Lucas Paqueta. West Ham’s 2023-2024 season ended in a damp squib. But the Hammers intend to become the Premier League’s thorn in the sidelines again in 2024-2025. To do this, they have appointed a new coach, the Spaniard Julen Lopetegui, and they have launched an active phase in their summer recruitment.
They had so far recruited three players: a replacement goalkeeper, Wesley Foderingham, at the end of his contract, a defender from Wolves, Lopetegui’s previous club, Max Kilman for a cheque of €47.5 million and the Brazilian hopeful Luis Guilherme, for €23 million. Now, West Ham is going after three players and is close to completing these transfers, if we are to believe the English press. The first is Crysencio Summerville, one of the revelations of the Championship (English D2) with Leeds last season. He is having his medical today, and will cost the London club €33 million.
Priority Niclas Füllkrug
The second is Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The latter is said to be in agreement to join West Ham, but discussions between the clubs have not yet been concluded. The first offer was around €15 million for the 26-year-old, whose contract expires in June 2025. The third player courted by the Hammers is called Niclas Füllkrug and is proving to be a major stake.
West Ham have launched a €25 million offer to Borussia Dortmund to buy out the last two years of the German international striker’s contract. The 31-year-old is interested in the idea of discovering the Premier League, having still been playing in the German second division two years ago. But BVB does not want to part with him, while considering him as the future joker for Sehrou Guirassy, recruited from Stuttgart. Füllkrug, for his part, has understood that West Ham wanted to bet on him, with a 3-year contract + 1 year option, which is not insignificant at his age. The London club is hopeful of seeing this matter through to the end.
