Aaron Cresswell could stay at West Ham this summer after Julen Lopetegui twist
West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell could still sign a new deal to extend his stay with the club this summer, according to The Evening Standard.
Cresswell was expected to leave the club with a move north already mooted, but it is reported that the 34-year-old is someone new manager Julen Lopetegui may want to remain involved at the club.
The Hammers left-back has made 16 appearances this season, with just nine coming in the Premier League, but his experience could prove invaluable for Lopetegui’s overhaul of the club’s squad.
A contract is not yet on the table, but The Standard speculated that Cresswell could be handed an extension, having been a transfer target for Lopetegui during his time in charge at Wolves.
Will Aaron Cresswell stay at West Ham United?
West Ham are set to undergo a huge period of squad upheaval this summer, with Cresswell just one of several names in line to leave the London Stadium at season’s end.
Ben Johnson and Angelo Ogbonna are also out of contract, while the club are in line to sell Nayef Aguerd and Thilo Kehrer too.
That leaves a depleted backline that will need plenty of reinforcements for the 2024-25 campaign, and it’s no surprise that Lopetegui is considering leaning on the experience of Cresswell as the Irons’ squad overhaul begins.
Cresswell has only played a bit-part role for much of this season and was recently run ragged by Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League, but almost 350 first-team appearances for the club stand him in good stead as a senior figure in a new-look team.
Lopetegui has a lot of work to do in this summer’s transfer window as he begins to shape his first Hammers side, and having Cresswell as a solid option at left-back gives him one less position to worry about.
In other West Ham news, Tony Cottee exploded at the club’s board amidst reports of a new manager agreement being completed.
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