West Ham could lose Italian link as sporting director opportunity arises
West Ham United are preparing for at least one season of Championship football, though things are not going smoothly.
The Hammers' relegation would be sealed on the final day of the season, despite winning 3-0 against Leeds United.
As a result, the East London club have been all over the shop in recent weeks, with the confirmation of Nuno Espirito Santo's future being the only piece of positive news.
Heading into the campaign, the Irons need to raise upwards of £100million in sales, which is somewhat slowing down their recruitment.
Thus far, the Hammers have lagged behind, while relegated rivals Wolves have been able to add both Kieran Trippier and Raul Jimenez to their ranks.
With pre-season starting soon, the East London club are in need of both sales and reinforcements.
And they could be about to lose a crucial link with Italy as they prepare for the term.
Italian reports highlight looming West Ham departure
As per Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Italian market scout Antonio Tramontano could be on his way out of the club.
The 37-year-old joined the Hammers last year, since playing a huge role in identifying Taty Castellanos, who would impress in the Premier League despite the eventual relegation.
Tramontano could be set for a return to Italy, with Serie B side Juve Stabia considering him for their sporting director position.
The ambitious club enjoyed an impressive 2025-26 season, finishing seventh and reaching the playoff semi-finals.
Alongside this interest, recently relegated Cremonese are also interested in the West Ham scout, as per Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Italy.
West Ham must avoid certain risk as Championship prep begins
As they prepare for life in the second tier, West Ham need to get the ball rolling with their recruitment sooner rather than later.
With the Championship starting earlier than the Premier League, the Irons are not exactly blessed with much time, especially as they look to get deals done in terms of outgoings and incomings, while reshuffling the hierarchy.
Currently, they are running the risk of arriving dramatically underprepared, in a division that can eat you alive if you are not careful.
Since the end of the season, there have been no serious transfer links, while they are nowhere in terms of departures.
Losing a market scout like Tramontano is only a small scale departure, but it does point to the direction, or rather lack of direction at the London Stadium since the season's end.