An extremely complex West Ham United situation has been clarified with one signing on the way in and two players heading out.
New head coach Julen Lopetegui has a massive task on his hands to reshape the threadbare West Ham squad he has inherited from David Moyes.
The Hammers need reinforcements in almost every area of the pitch given the club currently has just 16 senior players depending on what happens with Aaron Cresswell.
One area that will undergo an overhaul first, though, is the goalkeeping department.
Now the Hammers have a boss who was himself a top level goalkeeper as a player.
Lopetegui came through the ranks at Real Madrid and made one appearance for the first team. He also played for bitter rivals Barcelona five times and got one cap for Spain.
The bulk of his playing career was spent at Logrones and Ray Vallecano.
As a result of the fact he used to be a goalkeeper himself, West Ham’s new head coach reportedly plays a more involved role in the coaching of that department than your average manager.
Lopetegui has made sweeping changes to the coaching staff at West Ham, getting rid of all of the first team staff bar one – fellow Spaniard and goalkeeper coach Xavi Valero.
Valero was brought to the club by Manuel Pellegrini and must be doing something right as he is now the longest serving member of staff on the first team roster having been kept on by Moyes too.
West Ham have a rich history of top class goalkeepers from Phil Parkes to Ludek Miklosko, Shaka Hislop and Rob Green to name but a few.
Big changes at the back for West Ham?
Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola have joined that list with their performances for the Hammers in recent years.
Although West Ham have had their fair share of shockers too, mentioning no names. Roberto.
West Ham are blessed to have two top quality goalkeepers in the shape of Areola and Fabianski.
But beyond that there has been little experience in depth since Darren Randolph and Dave Martin left the club.
Many feel it is imperative that Lopetegui and Tim Steidten sign a new goalkeeper who will be third choice next season.
There has been speculation over incomings and outgoings with futures uncertain.
Now the complex West Ham goalkeeper situation has been clarified with one on the way in and two out.
Joseph Anang, 23, counts as a homegrown player for West Ham and found himself third choice goalkeeper behind Areola and Fabianski last season.
Complex situation clarified with one in and two out
That’s despite having very little first team experience anywhere, let alone at the top level.
Ghana-born Anang has also notably become Mohammed Kudus’ best friend at West Ham.
His contract is up this summer and many believed the club may renew it, if only to keep Kudus happy. Especially given ageing Fabianski is going into the last year of his contract.
There has also been uncertainty over the futures of trio Nathan Trott, Krisztian Hegyi and Jacob Knightbridge.
Meanwhile the Hammers have been in talks to sign free agent English goalkeeper Wes Foderingham – a move we reported on 10 days ago.
Now West Ham insider Sean Whetstone has cleared up any confusion by making the club’s goalkeeper plans perfectly clear.
Whetstone has revealed that Brentwood-born goalkeeper Knightbridge and Kudus’ best pal Anang are both being released by the West Ham.
A two-year option has been taken up on Trott’s contract with the Hammers looking to loan him out again following a spell in Danish football.
Foderingham in and Lopetegui to decide on Hegyi
Hungarian Hegyi is said to be highly-rated by West Ham but a decision on his long-term future will be left to Lopetegui.
And it seems the Hammers are now very much closing in on Foderingham following his departure from Sheffield United.
“With 23-year-old Joseph Anang being released at the end of June when his West Ham contract expires it makes sense to offer a contact to London born Wes Foderingham who is 33 and classed as a Home-grown player as free transfer in a like for like replacement in the Hammers squad,” Whetstone said.
“Anang has been with West Ham since he was a teenager The Ghana-born stopper moved to England at 16 and joined the Hammers in 2017, working his way through the Academy of Football before gaining valuable senior experience on loan at Stevenage and St Patrick’s Athletic, for whom he played in the League of Ireland and UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.
“Anang was promoted to be the Club’s third-choice goalkeeper in 2022/23 and was named in the matchday squad for six Conference League ties and seven Premier League matches, and filled the same role in 2023/24. According to the Athletic Nathan Trott who contract was also set to expire in June has had a 2-year option activated keeping him at the club until 2026, however the 25-year-old is likely to loaned out to Championship club for experience with Foderingham coming in for third choice keeper in the senior squad.
“(The) 21-year-old Hammers keeper Krisztian Hegyi is also thought to be highly thought of in West Ham circles, but it will be down to former Keeper turn head coach Julen Lopetegui to decide his fate with one year remaining on his current contract.
“Brentwood-born West Ham goalkeeper Jacob Knightbridge is set to be released by the Hammers when his contract expires at end of next month. The 20 year old West Ham young shot stopper who has represented England at U17s level has been at West Ham United since he was seven-years-old, and the 2021/22 campaign saw Knightbridge establish himself in the U18s, making 25 appearances in all competitions and helping the side to keep 13 clean-sheets in 26 league outings.
“Knightbridge’s first full season as a professional footballer saw the goalkeeper join Southern League Premier Division South Harrow Borough on loan for the 2022/23 season. Knightbridge was first-choice for the side, playing regular league football as the team finished 19th in the 22-team division.
“Knightbridge would also make his development team debut in a Premier League International Cup clash with AS Monaco in February 2023. He signed his first professional contract in 2022 for two years.”