West Ham set to meet Lopetegui’s demand for a 9th signing, but only under one condition – report.
West Ham are poised to sign Carlos Soler before the transfer deadline to fulfill Julen Lopetegui's request, reports The Times.
According to a report on 26 August, the Spanish midfielder “will join” the eight players Tim Steidten has already signed, provided the club can make room in the squad through departures.
The club needs to raise funds to balance the approximately £90 million spent during the transfer window, with eight current players identified as potential exits.
Centre-backs Kurt Zouma, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Nayef Aguerd are all available for transfer, along with right-back Vladimir Coufal, midfielders James Ward-Prowse and Maxwel Cornet, and forwards Michail Antonio and Danny Ings.
Zouma is close to joining Al Arobah in the Saudi Pro League after undergoing a medical examination [Fabrizio Romano, 26 August], but Aguerd has turned down a loan-to-buy option from a Bundesliga club [Guardian, 16 August].
West Ham is set to offload Kurt Zouma, making room for Carlos Soler to join the squad. Steidten and Lopetegui have been highly ambitious in this transfer window, aiming to boost optimism among the fans.
David Moyes may question why he didn’t receive the same level of support, while critics might argue it wouldn’t have made a difference.
Adding Soler could unlock the full potential of this dynamic squad, and it appears the deal is close to completion.
This may be another loan-to-buy arrangement [Foot Mercato, 19 August], similar to the deal for Jean-Clair Todibo, as Steidten continues to strengthen the team early in Lopetegui’s tenure.
However, outgoing transfers have been more challenging to finalize than incoming ones this summer, which says a lot.
Clearing Zouma’s contract from the wage bill is a positive step, but a move for Aguerd is likely necessary as well.
His long-standing links to the Saudi Pro League [HITC, 25 March], and the fact that the transfer window in the Middle East closes after the English window, could complicate matters.
Offloading Danny Ings’ reported £130,000-a-week contract [talkSPORT, 13 August] is also crucial, given the lack of return on investment he has provided.
Additional departures may hinge on receiving suitable offers.
