Nuno Espirito Santo has clear West Ham transfer priority in central defence as overhaul needed
Nuno Espirito Santo is set to stay at West Ham United following talks with the ownership in the days after relegation.
The Portuguese manager had looked on course to steer the Hammers clear of relegation, but results in the 2025 portion of the campaign were ultimately too poor to overcome.
Nuno will now look ahead to the Championship season and will need to build a squad capable of coming straight back up.
There is set to be an exodus at London Stadium as stars such as Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville are linked with moves away.
Additionally, captain Jarrod Bowen is mooted to exit too. However, the priority for West Ham’s summer window has become increasingly clear after the Nuno decision.
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Why central defence must now be West Ham’s priority
There are plenty of issues to be solved in E20 during the upcoming transfer window, but central defence may now be the most important after news of Nuno remaining at West Ham.
West Ham could be set to be without any senior centre-backs at London Stadium based on events that have occurred throughout the season.
| West Ham’s centre-back’s by games played in 2025-2026 | Appearances |
| Konstantinos Mavropanos | 35 |
| Max Kilman | 25 |
| Jean-Clair Todibo | 25 |
| Axel Disasi | 17 |
| Igor Julio | 4 |
With relegation confirmed, Axel Disasi’s loan is unlikely to be extended or transformed into a permanent deal.
Max Kilman has remained out of favour and at the bottom of the pecking order under Nuno throughout the season.,
Jean-Clair Todibo has reportedly refused to play again under Nuno, and with the Portuguese set to stay, that surely signals an exit for the Frenchman.
Meanwhile, Konstantinos Mavropanos has been linked with Champions League clubs such as Borussia Dortmund over the last few months.
Overall, as it stands, the Irons will have a heavy rebuild inbound in that department with it looking like limited options will be at the manager’s disposal without transfers.
Why West Ham need to get defensive signings done as soon as possible
When it comes to defensive units, time is key. Putting a back four or back three together who have limited playing time is not an ideal situation for the Hammers to find themselves in.
The Irons simply need to rebuild their backline well in advance and allow pre-season to help allow those relationships to build.
Defence is perhaps the most important area of the pitch for communication and for understanding of your teammate.
Chemistry cannot be built overnight, and if West Ham leave it too late, they could face a tricky start to the Championship season.