New Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui wants to sell a West Ham star some fans love after just one year it is being claimed.
Julen Lopetegui and Tim Steidten are facing something of a quandary at West Ham.
The Hammers must spend big and they need to spend wisely in this summer transfer window.
West Ham ended the season with the fourth worst record of any club in 2024, winning just five of their 25 games.
The side shipped 74 goals – the most ever in a Premier League campaign – and departing boss David Moyes declared the team lacks leaders.
There is no hiding the fact that if West Ham continue their 2024 form into the new season, they will find themselves in a relegation scrap.
Lopetegui must get the team playing a better brand of football while getting results.
And he and Steidten must make sure they get the six to eight signings being planned right.
The problem is, the board have only given them £100m to spend.
As a crude average that is just £12.5-15m per signing.
In the modern market that kind of money does not get you much beyond young and unproven or ageing and on the decline.
One player who cost West Ham double that fee could be sold to raise more money, though, it seems.
West Ham board insider Sean Whetstone recently claimed James Ward-Prowse – who was very much a Moyes signing and cost £30m – could be sold to raise extra transfer funds.
“Further player sales such (Nayef) Aguerd, (Danny) Ings, (Michail) Antonio or James Ward-Prowse would add more to the summer transfer pot,” Whetstone said when confirming West Ham’s £100m budget recently.
The Hammers would have had nearly double their kitty had Lucas Paqueta been sold to Man City for £85m as planned.
But with a three-person panel set to decide the fate of his career, the Brazilian will be going nowhere.
They say there is no smoke without fire.
And a new report has doubled down on that Ward-Prowse claim.
Lopetegui wants to sell the West Ham star some fans love after just one year.
Ward-Prowse divides opinion among West Ham fans.
He clearly brings a lot to the team in terms of set-pieces.
But some argue he does not offer anywhere enough in open play.
One look at Ward-Prowse’s statistics suggests he had a fine debut season in east London with 18 goals and assists.
He also fronted up to do interviews after some heavy defeats when the “captain” Kurt Zouma was nowhere to be seen.
Widely regarded as the world’s best set-piece specialist, Ward-Prowse is a great asset for any club to have on their books.
But now for the second time in as many weeks, it has been claimed the £30m midfielder, who turns 30 in November, could be sold.
According to reports from GiveMeSport and Caught Offside, Lopetegui is restructuring the team and Ward-Prowse does not fit into his plans.
They also claim he could be sold back to old side Southampton after they were promoted back to the Premier League.
“The potential return of Ward-Prowse to Southampton could take various forms,” Caught Offside state.
“A permanent transfer would likely be the most beneficial arrangement for West Ham, allowing them to recoup some of their investment. Alternatively, another loan deal, similar to Flynn Downes’ previous move, could also be on the table.”