West Ham agree Hajdari terms as new defender transfer close
West Ham are making additions to their defence, which was a problem area for the London club last season.
The Hammers statistically had the sixth-worst backline in the Premier League, conceding 62 goals, although most of those came under Julen Lopetegui’s reign.
Nonetheless, Graham Potter has made several additions to his defence, with Kyle Walker-Peters the latest West Ham signing.
Now, the Irons are closing in on a deal for another defender in Swiss centre back Albian Hajdari.
West Ham close in on Hajdari signing
The Hammers’ transfer window is picking up pace, with a bid reportedly made for former Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.
Potter is strengthening all over the park as he looks to make his own stamp on his Irons squad.
El Hadji Malick Diouf remains one of the most significant deals of West Ham’s window, arriving from Slavia Prague for £19million.
Now, the East London outfit have reached a verbal agreement with Swiss international Hajdari, according to Dominik Schneider (20 July).
| Albian Hajdari’s 2024/25 Swiss Super League statistics | Total |
| Appearances | 30 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Clean sheets | 4 |
| Total duels won | 4.6 (60%) |
| Aerial duels won | 1.8 (62%) |
| Tackles per game | 1.7 |
The German journalist reports that the FC Lugano man has a release clause of £4.3million, although the Hammers are yet to trigger it.
Hajdari is keen on joining the Premier League club, but there is still work to do to get a deal over the line.
The 22-year-old has three years remaining on his contract, having signed an extension in October last year.
Hajdari wants Hammers, but who is he?
The centre back has been a Lugano player since April 2023, when he joined from Juventus Next Gen, the Turin club’s reserve team.
Since arriving in the Swiss top tier, Hajdari has made over 100 appearances for Lugano and has been capped once by his national team.
Last season, the 22-year-old made 30 league appearances as his side finished in fourth position.
Hajdari has a strong aerial presence and is known for his physicality and aggression in a tackle.
If he were to complete a move to the London Stadium, then he would be up against Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo for a place in Potter’s team.
At 22, there is also plenty of time for development, and the fee would represent a low-risk signing for West Ham.
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