It has been a summer of significant change for West Ham United at board level, but in this embryonic new era uncertainty still lingers over the futures of key players.
New majority shareholder Daniel Kretinsky is set to increase his stake from 27 to 43 per cent, once he completes the purchase of shares from the family of David Gold in the wake of David Sullivan’s resignation as chairman. Kretinsky believes the club can keep their key players following relegation to the Championship, but a number of clubs are expected to test West Ham’s resolve.
For that reason, it feels appropriate to audit the squad.
What is the latest on Jarrod Bowen’s future? Is Crysencio Summerville pushing to leave? And who is likely to remain to try to help West Ham gain immediate promotion back to the Premier League? There are plenty of talking points ahead of the season opener in August.
Goalkeepers
Hermansen made 72 appearances across two seasons at Leicester City (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Mads Hermansen (Contracted until 2030)
Hermansen, who has a new agent, is set to remain. The 25-year-old Denmark international joined from Leicester City for £20million ($26.31m) last summer on a five-year contract with a one-year option. He was dropped from the starting XI after the 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in September, but re-established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper from February onwards and kept seven clean sheets in 18 league appearances.
Alphonse Areola (2027)
Areola, 33, is expected to end his five-year spell this summer. He signed a contract in 2022 until 2027, with the option of a further year. But the goalkeeper, who is a high earner, lost his No 1 jersey to Hermansen and is not expected to resume his role as back-up in the Championship.
Lukasz Fabianski (2026)
The 41-year-old was released last summer but returned on a one-year deal as third-choice goalkeeper in September. He will be released again when his contract expires at the end of the month, but is open to becoming a goalkeeper coach for the academy.
Finlay Herrick (2028)
In April, the highly rated 20-year-old made his first-team debut in the FA Cup quarter-final loss to Leeds United. The England Under-20 international — a member of West Ham’s FA Youth Cup-winning squad in 2023 — is likely to be loaned out next season for much-needed first-team experience.
Full-backs
El Hadji Malick Diouf (2030)
West Ham are yet to receive any approaches for the 21-year-old. Diouf, a £19million arrival from Slavia Prague in last July, struggled with consistency in his debut season. It could help his development to remain with the club for a further year.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (2031)
There is uncertainty over the 28-year-old’s future. In the final weeks of the season, the DR Congo international lost his place in the team to Kyle Walker-Peters for crucial games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Everton and Brentford. He has not replicated the heights reached during the 2024-25 campaign when he was voted player of the year.
Kyle Walker-Peters (2028)
Kyle Walker-Peters joined West Ham on a free transfer last summer from Southampton.(Warren Little/Getty Images)
Although he initially struggled to displace Wan-Bissaka after joining on a free transfer last summer from Southampton, the versatile defender grew in confidence during the latter stages of last season. Similar to Hermansen, the 28-year-old is expected to remain to aid the club’s push for promotion.
Ollie Scarles (2028)
If Diouf remains, Scarles could benefit from a loan due to his lack of game time. He performed well while Diouf was away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, but the 20-year-old only played two minutes in West Ham’s final 12 league games last season.
Centre-backs
Konstantinos Mavropanos (2028)
The Athletic reported previously that German side Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing Mavropanos. The 28-year-old centre-back was voted player of the season and has improved under head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
Jean-Clair Todibo (2029)
Jean-Clair Todibo was not in West Ham’s matchday squad for the final game of last season (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
A summer departure would be best for all parties. Although Todibo has shown flashes of promise, the centre-back has clashed with former head coaches, Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter, and then Nuno before the end of the season. The centre-back took issue with being substituted during West Ham’s loss to Newcastle United and, during a heated exchange, informed the head coach he would not play for him again. The two-time France international was not named in the matchday squad for the last game of the season against Leeds United.
Maximilian Kilman (2031)
Kilman is also in need of a fresh start elsewhere. Despite working with Nuno at Wolverhampton Wanderers, the head coach seldom leaned on Kilman last season. The writing was on the wall when Nuno opted against replacing Todibo with Kilman when the defender suffered an injury in the warm-up before the 2-0 loss at Aston Villa.
Midfielders
Mateus Fernandes (2030)
Highly sought-after, Fernandes is garnering interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. The 21-year-old, who does not have a release clause in his contract, is West Ham’s most sellable asset with an asking price of £80million. He joined for £38m last summer from Southampton, who negotiated a 15 per cent sell-on fee.
How do transfers actually happen?
Adam Leventhal
Tomas Soucek (2027)
In an interview with Czech media outlet Forbes Cesko, Soucek said he is considering all options.
“Probably Italy (would appeal) the most, because if there’s one thing we miss in England, it’s the beautiful weather,” said Soucek. “In contrast, there’s a high standard of living combined with high-quality football, so the idea looks nice. But I would also like to return to Slavia, where I started when I was 10 years old, someday.”
Soucek’s contract, which has a one-year option, expires next summer but West Ham are in no rush to offer the 31-year-old midfielder an improved contract.
Soungoutou Magassa (2031)
The Frenchman was largely a back-up option in the remaining months of the season. He shone in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United in December, which showed his potential, but a season in the Championship will help his confidence and stamp out the weaker aspects of his game.
Freddie Potts (2029)
Freddie Potts is challenged by Ao Tanaka of Leeds United during an FA Cup match in April (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
He struggled to build on from his man-of-the-match display in the home win against Newcastle United in November. The 22-year-old has Championship experience following his previous loan at Portsmouth and deserves the opportunity to showcase that.
James Ward-Prowse (2027)
Ward-Prowse is expected to leave due to his strained relationship with the head coach. The only time he was named in the matchday squad under the Portuguese was for the 3-1 home win against Sunderland on January 24.
The midfielder joined Burnley on loan in January but was unable to help them avoid relegation.
Edson Alvarez (2028)
It is unclear if Alvarez will remain a West Ham player beyond the end of the transfer window. Fenerbahce opted against converting Alvarez’s loan into a permanent deal. The Mexico international registered one assist across 18 appearances at the Turkish side. The midfielder has not played for West Ham since the final day of the 2024-25 season against Ipswich Town.
Mohamadou Kante (2031)
As mentioned previously, the promising 20-year-old has interest from Ligue 1 clubs Marseille, Monaco and Lyon. Nuno — who handed the midfielder his first-team debut, against Manchester United, in December — wants to keep the midfielder and considers Kante a part of his plans.
Attacking midfielders and wingers
Jarrod Bowen (2030)
West Ham have no intention of selling Bowen, 29, this summer, but the club captain has attracted strong interest from Aston Villa. West Ham have not received a formal offer for the England international but have received a number of enquiries.
Crysencio Summerville (2029)
Crysencio Summerville celebrates after scoring against Sweden at the World Cup (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United have expressed interest in signing Summerville. The 24-year-old Netherlands international, who has scored twice at this summer’s World Cup, is not agitating to leave, but West Ham are resigned to losing the talented attacker.
Adama Traore (2026)
Similar to Fabianski, Traore will be released when his contract expires. West Ham, who joined in January on a permanent transfer from Fulham, were hopeful that the winger would return on reduced terms but an agreement could not be reached.
Maxwel Cornet (2027)
All roads lead to Cornet leaving (again) this summer, but whether it is a permanent transfer or loan remains to be seen. The winger, who spent last season on loan at Italian side Genoa, has not played for West Ham since the 2023-24 season.
George Earthy (2027)
Another player who could benefit from a season-long loan at another EFL club. Earthy, 21, is not expected to break into the first team next season. A brief sojourn at Championship side Bristol City from January to May only led to two starts in seven appearances. He can ill-afford to have another year wasted.
Keiber Lamadrid
In January, the 22-year-old winger joined on loan from Venezuelan side Deportivo La Guaira. Earlier this month, The Athletic reported that West Ham had activated the £1m option to convert Lamadrid’s loan into a permanent deal, with a five-year contract (and an option for a further two). He will hope to receive more opportunities under Nuno.
Strikers
Taty Castellanos (2030)
Taty Castellanos scored West Ham’s opening goal against Leeds United on the final day of the season (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
The 27-year-old Argentine did not lack desire, fight and passion last season. Keeping hold of Castellanos would be beneficial, but he will not be short of suitors.
Pablo Felipe (2030)
Pablo failed to score in 17 appearances following his €20million (£17.4m, $23.4m) January switch from Portuguese side Gil Vicente. He signed a four-and-a-half-year deal, with the option of a further year. The striker needs to hit the mark in the second tier, and frequently.
Callum Wilson (2026)
Wilson, 34, is likely to leave when his contract expires at the end of the month. It is his preference to remain in the Premier League and he is five goals away from joining the prestigious 100-goal club in the English top flight. Brentford and Coventry are monitoring Wilson’s situation, according to sources who spoke to The Athletic on condition of anonymity to protect relationships.
Niclas Fullkrug (2028)
West Ham are not considering terminating Fullkrug’s contract. Their valuation of the 33-year-old — who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £27m in August 2024 — is in the region of £4m to £8m, although clubs have offered to take the Germany international for free. During a loan spell at Milan, the forward only scored once in 20 league appearances.
