Following their relegation to the Championship, here is a look at which West Ham players could stay or go this summer.
With a hefty player wage bill and dealing with a £104.2m net loss in their latest financial results, relegation means that West Ham face a significant summer of change with a need to raise funds to survive in the Championship and fight for instant promotion back to the Premier League.
There will also be pressure to meet the Championship’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) which is much tougher than the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play rules, which raises West Ham’s need to cut costs in order to avoid running into trouble with EFL.
That means there is little option other than a squad clear-out of fire sales in order to meet the PSR, so here is a look at which players could stay or go in a summer of change in order to financially survive.
Goalkeepers
Alphonse Areola is surely set to be one of the major departures at the London Stadium after he lost his number-one spot to Mads Hermansen at the end of January, as it is hard to imagine him wanting to stay now especially after he missed out on a World Cup spot for France due to his lack of game time.
The fact that his wife launched a social media attack on manager – Nuno Espirito Santo also points towards his exit as it will be tough for him to realistically stay, unless Espirito Santo leaves and his replacement is keen to make him first-choice goalkeeper.
I also can’t see Areola wanting to play Championship football next season such is his calibre as a goalkeeper unless he is impressively persuaded by whoever replaces Espirito Santo.
Lukasz Fabianski will be another departure because he hasn’t managed any first-team appearances this season and with the wage bill needing to be cut, he feels destined for the exit due to his wage cost and likewise for Areola if the latter does leave.
Mads Hermansen though is surely set to stay because he has Championship experience from the 2023-24 promotion-winning season at Leicester, whilst Finlay Herrick is a young talent who will surely become second-choice next season if Areola inevitably leaves.
Defence
Axel Disasi definitely won’t be at the club next season because he was only on loan from Chelsea but he won’t be the only defender sticking around, as I can see quite a clear-out unfolding within the defence.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Jean-Clair Todibo are probably headed for the exit door as their quality feels too good for the Championship, whilst a quick-fire defensive sale of the quartet would help reduce the wage bill significantly.
Kyle Walker-Peters and Max Kilman though are two defenders who I can see staying as can’t see them attracting much Premier League interest, other than from maybe Bournemouth, Sunderland and Brighton if looking to strengthen their own defensive selection for an European campaign.
Oliver Scarles and Ezra Mayers though are unlikely to go anywhere because as homegrown talent and with a likely clear-out of bigger names, next season could see them become regular members of the defence unless an irresistible loan offer comes in.
Midfield
After an impressive individual campaign amidst the Hammers’ various woes, Matheus Fernandes looks definitely set for the exit door and with rumours of transfer bids around £50m at minimum – his departure would be a considerable financial boost for the club’s finances.
Tomas Soucek and James Ward-Prowse could also depart because they’re amongst the highest wage-earning players and West Ham could easily earn around £30m for the pair if do deals at the right prices.
Soungoutou Magassa could leave in search of regular game time but I do think that he will at least wait and see if a new manager comes in and his plans for him, as he could well become a regular next season if Fernandes, Soucek and Ward-Prowse leave.
George Earthy, Mohamadou Kante, Keiber Lamadrid, Lewis Orford and Freddie Potts will surely stay because those five players could be set for increased involvement next season, such is the likelihood that the regular midfield players are headed for the exit door.
Forward
As easy as it would be to retain Jarrod Bowen to give themselves the best possible chance of instant promotion back to the Premier League, I do think that he will definitely be sold as he is their biggest earner and will command a strong fee which will be a massive help to their financial sheets.
Valentin Castellanos too will definitely be headed for the departure lounge because he has shown in just five months that he is too good for the Championship, but I do hope that he stays in the Premier League because he has the potential to do well in English football.
Crysencio Summerville likewise is another player who is too good to be playing in the second tier so expect him to leave, although his wage isn’t too high for his departure to be effectively beneficial for the Hammers.
Adama Traore and Niclas Fullkrug too are probably destined to leave given their lack of impact, but Pablo given his young age and development potential surely is set to stay, as he has a chance to lead the line alongside the experienced Callum Wilson and fellow youngster – Callum Marshall.