West Ham’s second-highest earner may still depart soon, according to a board source.

When Tim Steidten and Julen Lopetegui set out to overhaul West Ham’s squad, they approached the task with determination and a clear strategy.

 

This summer, the Hammers made a total of nine signings and saw 12 players depart, including Kurt Zouma, who recently moved to Saudi Arabia.

 

The latest addition to the team was Carlos Soler, who joined on loan from PSG as their ninth signing.

 

However, West Ham may not be finished with their transfer activities just yet.

 

Lopetegui has emphasized his desire to have two experienced players for each position on the pitch.

 

Despite this ambition, the club’s current situation leaves some gaps.

 

The departures of Angelo Ogbonna and Thilo Kehrer, who made a permanent move to Monaco, along with the exits of Zouma and Nayef Aguerd, have reduced their number of center-backs to just three.

 

Given this shortage, the Hammers’ head coach has indicated that the club is exploring the free agent market, where several quality defenders remain unattached.

 

West Ham has until September 14th to bring in any free agents, ahead of the deadline to submit final squad lists to the Premier League.

 

There could still be additional departures, too. Even with the major revamp of the squad and the transfer window officially closing on Friday night, there remains uncertainty about the future of one particularly high-earning player who seems unlikely to get much playing time this season.

 

A well-placed source within the club has suggested that one of West Ham’s top earners could soon be on his way out.

Danny Ings, who earns £125,000 per week, is among those whose exit is still a possibility.

 

The striker reportedly turned down offers from clubs such as Southampton during the transfer window.

 

Ings has struggled to make an impact since joining West Ham in a £15 million deal from Aston Villa in January 2023.

 

Despite his lack of form, Ings remains one of the club’s highest-paid players, second only to Lucas Paqueta, who earns £150,000 per week.

 

Journalist Graeme Bailey told Hammers News that Ings’ refusal to leave West Ham hindered their efforts to sign Jhon Duran.

 

It’s debatable whether Ings is even the third-choice striker at the club, as Jarrod Bowen or Mohammed Kudus would likely be preferred if anything happened to Niclas Fullkrug or Michail Antonio.

 

As a result, it’s a peculiar situation where West Ham’s fourth or fifth-choice forward is the second highest-paid player.

 

There have been reports suggesting that West Ham was considering terminating Ings’ contract.

 

However, Sean Whetstone, a source close to the club’s board, has claimed that the 32-year-old striker could still leave in the near future.

 

Whetstone, who has close ties with major stakeholders at West Ham such as majority owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady, noted that Ings’ absence from the matchday squad against Manchester City could be a sign that his departure is imminent.

Whetstone pointed out that while the transfer window closed simultaneously in major European leagues such as England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France, several UEFA markets remain open.

 

Clubs in the Netherlands and Portugal, considered UEFA’s sixth and seventh strongest leagues, have until Monday, September 2, to make signings.

 

 

Meanwhile, the transfer windows in Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Andorra, Malta, San Marino, and Gibraltar close on Tuesday, September 3, and Wednesday, September 4, in Moldova. In Croatia and Austria, the window closes on Thursday, September 5.

 

Several other markets, including Belgium, Ukraine, Poland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia, and North Macedonia, remain open until Friday, September 6.

 

Slovenia and Liechtenstein have their windows open until Saturday, September 7, while the Czech Republic’s window closes on September 8.

 

Switzerland, Romania, and Cyprus remain open until September 9, and clubs in Greece have until September 11 to finalize transfers.

 

In Russia and Armenia, the window doesn’t close until September 12.

 

The Turkish transfer window, a significant market to watch, closes on September 13, the same day as Serbia’s.

 

Moreover, Azerbaijan has until September 16, and Israel, which is part of UEFA despite its geographical location, has until September 18.

 

Other markets outside Europe, like Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Qatar, Mexico, and Egypt, also have varying deadlines, with Egypt’s window open until September 30.

If Ings does depart, goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and captain Jarrod Bowen would then become the joint second-highest earners at West Ham, both on £120,000 per week, following Lucas Paqueta.

 

This potential reshuffle could provide the Hammers with more flexibility in managing their squad and wage bill as they navigate the remainder of the season.