West Ham United transfer update drops ahead of Julen Lopetegui announcement
West Ham United and Julen Lopetegui are already making plans for the summer transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The report on 20 May reveals that the Hammers are preparing to formally announce their new head coach following the culmination of the season, with David Moyes stepping down after his final game in charge against Manchester City ended in a 3-1 defeat on 19 May.
And Lopetegui, who has reportedly had an agreement in place to join the Hammers since 6 May, has already begun work on how to overhaul the squad.
West Ham United set for major squad overhaul under Julen Lopetegui
The Hammers are set for a significant squad overhaul this summer as Moyes hands the baton to Lopetegui ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Angelo Ogbonna, Aaron Cresswell, Michail Antonio, Vladimir Coufal, Ben Johnson, Joseph Anang and Divin Mubama all have contracts that expire this summer, while Kalvin Phillips’ disappointing loan spell also comes to an end.
A further three players – Lukasz Fabianski, Danny Ings and club captain Kurt Zouma – all enter the final year of the contracts as well.
Additionally, the transition to Lopetegui’s style from Moyes’ will mean that several members of the current squad could be viewed by the incoming head coach as awkward stylistic fits for a possession-heavy system. It is difficult, for instance, to see how a midfielder like Tomas Soucek will be used by the Spaniard.
Furthermore, with Lucas Paqueta primed for a big-money departure, the club must prepare to replace a high-performing star.
It is set to be a whirlwind summer at the London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, Ian Wright has called out James Ward-Prowse in the Hammers’ loss against City.
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