West Ham: Three realistic players that simply must stay as relegation looms
West Ham United’s Premier League status is in the balance more than it has ever been this season after failing to defeat Newcastle.
The Hammers’ last hope lies on Chelsea, who simply must beat Tottenham Hotspur to hand any chance to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
A draw between the two London rivals would certainly not be enough due to the goal difference swing of 13 between the Lilywhites and Irons.
In the event of relegation, there is likely to be a strong exodus of players, including the likes of Mateus Fernandes and club captain Jarrod Bowen.
However, ahead of West Ham’s summer window, here are three players that could be key to any promotion push and are realistic to keep.
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Mads Hermansen to remain as number one
Mads Hermansen did not cover himself in glory against Newcastle, but a drop in level may suit the Danish goalkeeper.
There is every chance that West Ham look to improve on the 25-year-old, but since taking over from Alphonse Areola, he has been more impressive, picking up more clean sheets.
| Mads Hermansen | Statistic | Alphonse Areola |
| 17 | Games played | 20 |
| 6 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 65% | Save percentage | 68% |
| -5.58 | Goals prevented | -1.34 |
There are other areas of the squad that need more surgery than between the sticks, and Hermansen will likely be able to cope with the second tier.
Tomas Soucek to take on captaincy
Tomas Soucek has been linked with a move away, but if Bowen is to leave London Stadium in the summer, the Czech would be the next best shout to take on the captaincy.
The Irons would need leadership and experience on their side to mount a push back into the Premier League, and none other than the 31-year-old would offer that.
At that age, he would not command a fee that would be substantial to the Hammers’ finances, and with his contract ending in 2027, West Ham still hold some leverage.
The risk of losing out on some money for Soucek versus gaining promotion to the top flight is worth taking.
Taty Castellanos is a wildcard option to keep
Taty Castellanos has proved to be capable of playing at the Premier League level since joining the Hammers in January.
And while he may not like the idea of dropping down to the Championship, he could take the league by storm if he stays.
The Argentine has more than enough quality to make a move out of East London, and he has been linked with a return to South America.
But West Ham would do themselves no harm in trying to convince him to stick around for at least one more season.
He does have a contract until 2030 after all.