West Ham United technical director Tim Steidten is reportedly eyeing up a move for a player who once commanded £75 million, and the Hammers are joined by illustrious clubs in the race for his signature.
West Ham making January transfer plans amid Lopetegui pressure
Manager Julen Lopetegui briefly eased the pressure on his shoulders with a 4-1 win over newly-promoted Ipswich Town recently, but calls for his potential removal intensified yet again when the Hammers followed that up with a dismal defeat away to Tottenham.
£100k-per-week West Ham attacker could now be sold by Lopetegui in January
A “fresh start” for the player is apparently possible.
ByEmilio GalantiniOct 25, 2024
The Spaniard has won just three games in all competitions so far – going on from late August to October without a single victory at one point – and reports suggest Lopetegui is already facing a review by West Ham if results continue in this manner.
West Ham prepare to take on Manchester United at the London Stadium this weekend, with Erik ten Hag also under pressure in the Red Devils dugout as both tacticians collide in a bid to save their respective jobs.
West Ham summer signings
From
Fee (Transfermarkt)
Maximilian Kilman
Wolves
€47.5m
Crysencio Summerville
Leeds United
€29.3m
Niclas Fullkrug
Borussia Dortmund
€27m
Luis Guilherme
Palmeiras
€23m
Mohamadou Kante
Paris FC
Undisclosed
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Man Utd
€18m
Wes Foderingham
Sheffield United
Free transfer
Guido Rodriguez
Real Betis
Free transfer
Jean-Clair Todibo
Nice
Loan transfer
Carlos Soler
PSG
Loan transfer
West Ham summer departures
To
Fee (Transfermarkt)
Flynn Downes
Southampton
€17.85m
James Ward-Prowse
Nottingham Forest
Loan
Maxwel Cornet
Southampton
Loan
Nayef Aguerd
Real Sociedad
Loan
Kurt Zouma
Al-Shabab
Loan
Said Benrahma
Lyon
€14.4m
Angelo Ogbonna
Watford
Free transfer
Thilo Kehrer
Monaco
€11m
Nathan Trott
FC Copenhagen
€1.5m
Ben Johnson
Ipswich Town
Free transfer
Joseph Anang
St Patrick’s Athletic
Free transfer
Lopetegui certainly hasn’t been helped by the absence of summer striker signing Niclas Fullkrug. The Germany international bagged 16 goals in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund last season, prompting David Sullivan to invest £27 million on him, but Fullkrug is currently back in his homeland attempting to recover from a persistent Achilles tendon injury.
There are even suggestions that West Ham may decide to sell Fullkrug in January, as Lopetegui demands the West Ham hierarchy to sign another forward mid-season.
West Ham eyeing Richard Rios as Palmeiras negotiate exit
According to South American news outlet Hoy Diario del Magdalena, via Sport Witness, West Ham are targeting Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios.
The Colombia international is also being chased by PSG and AC Milan, so elite clubs are seriously taking note of his performances on the continent, so much so that a price tag of £75 million was once mentioned.
However, that price has reduced significantly, with £12.5 million now seen as a realistic figure to strike a deal for Rios after a £62.5 million price drop. The 24-year-old has made 42 appearances in all competitions in 2024, scoring three goals and assisting four others, whilst playing 2,730 minutes.
Rios is a mainstay for Palmeiras and can play in both defensive midfield and further forward as a traditional central midfield player, but it is believed that his club are “negotiating the departure” of him.
