Hammers News can exclusively reveal that West Ham captain Kurt Zouma could cause a big issue by refusing to be sold this summer.
New West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui clearly means business since taking over from David Moyes.
The 57-year-old made sweeping changes to the first team staff at West Ham, bringing in his own team bar Xavi Valero.
Lopetegui has been working hard alongside technical director Tim Steidten on West Ham’s major summer rebuild.
The Hammers have already made two signings in the shape of Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham.
Next priority on the agenda is signing two central defenders and a striker.
West Ham are currently in talks with Wolves as they look to sign their captain Max Kilman.
Lopetegui wants West Ham to sell captain Kurt Zouma
That comes after it was revealed earlier this month that Lopetegui has decided he wants to sell captain Kurt Zouma.
With Nayef Aguerd also up for sale – and taking drastic action to get out of West Ham just yesterday – it’s easy to see why West Ham are on the hunt for two centre halves.
Quality central defenders, like strikers, don’t come cheap.
So Hammers fans were furious this week when a claim emerged that West Ham have just £51.5m to spend this summer before sales.
That places great importance on selling the likes of Zouma, Aguerd and others not part of Lopetegui’s plans for decent fees.
But West Ham captain Zouma could cause a big issue by refusing to be sold.
Zouma could cause big issue by refusing to be sold
Speaking to Hammers News, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed Zouma is in no rush to leave West Ham, where he earns £125k per week.
Bailey also claims Zouma actually denied West Ham some return on their £29.5m investment in him by turning down a move to Saudi Arabia last summer.
Not only that but he could have increased his salary too.
Bailey has told Hammers News Zouma’s snub left them in shock. And he states the Frenchman could now dig his heels in to stay at West Ham.
“I am told that a deal Zouma was in place last summer to move to the Saudi Pro League,” Bailey told Hammers News.
“The deal was done with West Ham, they were making in it, and on top of that all of Zouma’s wages were being taken on.
‘He’s in no hurry to leave’
“But despite a wage rise on offer, Zouma decided against it. West Ham were shocked but they moved on.
“Now suggestions are that Zouma is available again but as he turned down big move last year, I am not sure he would take it now.
“I don’t believe he is in a hurry to leave.”
Not only would Zouma staying in put deny Lopetegui much-needed additional transfer funds, it would also make for a rather awkward situation in the squad.
If the Hammers sign Kilman then he would be in the running to be named West Ham’s new captain.
Lopetegui would then have an unwanted, potentially unmotivated player hardly featuring all while picking up half a million pounds per month.
While he did not always show it on the pitch as West Ham conceded a club record 74 Premier League goals last season, Zouma is also a big character in the dressing room.
So that could lead to issues in the squad too.