u/ataruuuuuuuu

Gustavo Sá is leaving Famalicão and will reinforce West Ham next season. The deal will be closed for an amount of around 20 million euros. SAD Minho initially pointed to the bar of €25 million, but the negotiations end up not reaching this level. Still, we are facing Famalicão's largest sale ever.

The 21-year-old international midfielder under-21 thus ends a long connection to Famalicão, which lasted since his time in the under-15s (2018/19). He debuted as a senior player in 2022/23 and has since player 120 games, netting 12 goals and 15 assists.

**Ownership, management, recruitment and coaching staff.**

- There is an expectation the club will somewhat imminently see an influx of executive-level and administrative football-level personnel. KUMB (Questionable Source)

- Birmingham City seem close to appointing Greg Ricoh as Director of Football, in doing so crossing off one of the clubs reportedly interested in appointing Steve Nickson. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Wrexham are closing in on the appointment of Newcastle’s departing head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, as their new Director of Football. West Ham have alternatives lined up, with more concrete news to come soon. Pete O’Rourke and Jacob Steinberg- The Guardian (Questionable Source/Good Source)

- West Ham are in advanced talks to appoint Nils Koppen as their new transfer guru. Koppen, currently Copenhagen's head of recruitment and scouting, has been offered the role of director of recruitment. Nils Koppen is eager to accept the role at West Ham, which is dependent upon him securing a work permit. Sources say he will attend a work permit hearing today (26/06), as West Ham look to get the go-ahead to put the finishing touches to the deal. Football Insider (Bad Source)

- Nils Koppen is set to be appointed as director of player recruitment at West Ham. A deal is close. Koppen will lead the recruitment of players but won’t be responsible for the overall football operation. A new football leadership structure will see Koppen work alongside head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, sporting director Mark Noble, and the board on football matters such as contract renewals, the academy and player sales. Sky Sport (Good Source)

**Squad Rumours (Retaining and Outgoing)**

- Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who has a new agent, is set to remain at West Ham this summer. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Alphonse Areola is expected to end his five-year spell at West Ham this summer. He is not expected to resume his role as back-up goalkeeper in the Championship. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Finlay Herrick, the highly rated 20-year-old goalkeeper, is likely to be loaned out next season for much-needed first-team experience. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Lukasz Fabianski will not join West Ham again for a third spell, but the Polish shot stopper is open to a role as goalkeeper coach at the academy. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- West Ham are yet to receive any approaches for 21-year-old El Hadji Malick Diouf. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- If Diouf remains, Ollie Scarles could benefit from a loan due to his lack of game time. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Similar to Hermansen, Kyle Walker-Peters is expected to remain at West Ham to aid the club’s push for promotion. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Bayer Leverkusen are keen on West Ham defender Dinos Mavropanos, with manager Martinez Novell said to be a particular admirer of the player. BILD (Okay Source)

- German side Borussia Dortmund are interested in signing Mavropanos. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Ipswich Town to explore deal for West Ham's Max Kilman. Football Insider (Bad Source)

- Interest in Todibo from Fenerbahce is restated, with a loan to buy deal being touted. There is also said to be interest from the likes of Marseille, Toulouse and returning to Nice. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Spurs are reportedly willing to pay the total ~£80M asking price for Mateus Fernandes, Man United remain unsure on whether to match the pricing. Gary Jacobs- The Times, Sky Sports (Good Source/Okay Source)

- Flip-flopping reports over Fernandes agreeing personal terms with both clubs. Man United are said to be upping their progress for the player now. It is reiterated that he’s going to end up at the club bringing best financial proposal to West Ham. A deal is expected to accelerate in the coming days, with Fernandes being excluded from returning to pre-season. Matteo Moretto, Fabrizio Romano and Simon Stone - BBC (Okay Source/Good Source/Good Source)

- Soucek picked up an ankle injury while on international duty, a scan is set to take place. Although a wholesale terrible situation, depending on the severity of the injury this may (unintentionally) ward off suitors should he be injured throughout pre-season. While on international duty, players who face injury are to have their up to £7.5M per annum in wages paid by their respective National FA for the duration of the injury or up to a year. Official Source and ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- It is thought that that Soucek could be out for up to 3 months, possibly longer, though this isn’t officially confirmed by the club and there is set to be further analysis on the injury. Soucek is thought to be a good recoverer of an injury so the estimation may change. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Summerville is not agitating to leave, but West Ham are resigned to losing the talented attacker. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- West Ham are thought to have held further talks with veteran forward Callum Wilson about extending his deal at the club. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Brentford and Coventry are monitoring Wilson’s situation. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Ipswich Town are set to step up their pursuit of striker Callum Wilson. Stuart Watson (Questionable Source)

- As it stands the club intends to try to keep all three first team strikers (Taty, Pablo and Wilson). ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Ruben Amorim wants Taty Castellanos at AC Milan to replace Santiago Giminez, and has suggested him personally. Milan News 24 (Questionable Source)

- Fiorentina are reportedly interested in Niclas Fullkrug but a deal would be contingent on Roberto Piccoli leaving. Il Tirreno (Questionable Source)

- West Ham are not considering terminating Fullkrug’s contract. Their valuation of the 33-year-old — who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £27m in August 2024 — is in the region of £4m to £8m, although clubs have offered to take the Germany international for free. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

**Squad Rumours (Incoming)**

- The club has had scouts present at the World Cup. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- In accordance with their desire to retain all three strikers, it is expected that the need to sign a new centre forward dramatically decreases. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Another RW who has caught our attention is Tyrhys Dolan, currently at Espanyol. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- An Italian-based target is Matteo Cancellieri of Lazio, who has one year on contract. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Dwight McNeil is reiterated to be a key target for loan. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- West Ham are one of three clubs closely monitoring Trabzonspor defender Chibuike Nwaiwu. Twitter (Bad Source)

- West Ham are exploring a move for goalkeeper Neto as plans for the new season begin to take shape. Twitter (Bad Source)

- A whisper we’re looking at Millwall’s Femi Azeez. KUMB (Questionable Source)

- It has been said Mikey Moore [and a couple unnamed players] to West Ham on loan is being discussed as a potential part of the deal for Mateus Fernandes. HimothyReports (Proclaimed Spurs ITK) and ExWHUEmployee (Questionable Source/Good Source)

- One forward we were looking to explore further at the tournament was Armando González who plays for Mexican side Chivas (CD Guadalajara). ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Wolfsburg’s German under 21 international striker Dženan Pejčinović is also someone of interest, and it is possible the club may try to strike a kind of swap deal involving the player and Niclas Fullkrug, who Wolfsburg is interested in. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Franculino Djú has been a long term target after another very strong season for Danish side FC Midtjylland. It is thought that the club did turn down a £30m offer in January for the player and he has a lot of interest including Premier League teams Everton and Fulham. Following our relegation it seems unlikely we would be able to persuade the former top target to join. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan has been restated as a target. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- West Ham are among a number of clubs eyeing a move for San Diego FC defender Manu Duah. Pete O’Rourke (Questionable Source)

- West Ham, Rangers and Hull City are all exploring signing free agent Dan Neil. Ben Jacobs (Okay Source)

- Dan Neil is close to joining Southampton, despite interest from West Ham and Wolves. Sky Sports (Good Source)

- West Ham and PSG are exploring a potential FOUR player swap deal involving Summerville, Mateus Fernandes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Renato Sanches. The deal would also involve a lot of money being sent West Ham's way. The Senegalese wonderkid has been on West Ham's radar for over a year now. Sportsmole (Bad Source)

- Nicolas Raskin is understood to be one of West Ham’s more ambitious midfield targets this summer. Twitter (Bad Source)

- Leicester would be prepared to entertain bids between £15m and £20m for Abdul Fatawu. Aaron Morris - The Mirror (Bad Source)

- Rumours of an accepted bid (let alone any negotiation) for Fatawu has been denied by sources at Leicester and West Ham, though interest does seem heavy and may progress soon. Josh Holland, ExWHUEmployee and Pete O’Rourke (Questionable Source/Good Source/Questionable Source)

- Everton are close to agreeing to sign Hayden Hackney for ~£25M. John Percy - The Telegraph (Good Source)

- Midfield target Sydie Peck has not returned to pre-season training for Sheffield United, which started today (29/06). It’s been said the story “has legs” and that Peck is a major target. The Sheffield Star and KUMB (Questionable Source/Questionable Source)

- Aston Villa, West Ham, Brighton and Bournemouth are all tracking teenage Irish sensation Liam Kelly. The 15-year -old became the youngest player to ever appear in a competitive fixture for Derry City on Monday night at Shamrock Rovers. Pete O’Rourke (Questionable Source)

Previous week: https://www.reddit.com/r/Hammers/s/smJuWGNCYM

**Ownership, management, recruitment and coaching staff.**

- Daniel Kretinsky has ambitions to build a new state-of-the-art West Ham training facility. These plans are driven by Kretinsky and were not part of the previous regime’s vision. The intention is to move from the current arrangement and create a single major complex. Gonzo Kris - Claret and Hugh (Questionable Source)

- In addition it’s been said Daniel Kretinsky has already drafted up plans to convert the London Stadium so that it is more suited to football. Gonzo Kris - Claret and Hugh (Questionable Source)

- The name Amanda Staveley has cropped up again in recent days following rumours of Steve Nickson arriving as Sporting Director. Nickson and Staveley worked closely during their time at Newcastle. There are rumours Staveley was even at London Stadium yesterday. One possible outcome is that a third party, Staveley, acquires Sullivan’s shares. Whether Staveley has any involvement remains entirely speculative at this stage. Kris Gonzo - Claret & Hugh (Questionable Source)

- Former Newcastle co-owners Amanda Staveley & Mehrdad Ghodoussi looking at deal to buy West Ham. Exploratory talks have taken place. Craig Hope - Daily Mail (Bad Source - Okay Source for Newcastle, fed information by club)

- Newcastle United head of recruitment Steve Nickson leaving club. He is set for a move to a Championship club. David Ornstein - The Athletic (Good Source)

- At first he seems set to join imminently, within the next week but a curve ball is thrown as it is said the club held talks with him and a number of other potential directors of football. He has spoken to a couple of clubs himself - namely Wrexham and Birmingham City. As of now the situation is still in limbo. Ben Jacobs and Jacob Steinberg - The Guardian, KUMB, Craig Hope - Daily Mail, ExWHUEmployee (Okay Source/Good Source/Questionable Source/Okay Source/Good Source)

- Coaches Gerald Prenderville, Steve Potts and Billy Lepine are set to remain with the first team. Nuno’s long aligned goalkeeper coach Rui Barbosa is also expected to remain with us. Mark Robson is expected to take a step back down to manage the U21 team, taking over from interim Greg Lincoln. Though it has not yet been confirmed Paco Jemez is also expected to stay. Nuno may add more members of staff but that is as of yet undetermined. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- In another interview Paco has said while he is open to working with Nuno again he is also assessing his options as a head coach to see if any clubs are interested in him to lead them. FlashScorePT (Interview - Good Source)

**Squad Rumours (Retaining and Outgoing)**

- Crysencio Summerville high among candidates Manchester United considering as possible left wing signing. Expected to cost ~£50m to land. David Ornstein - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Arsenal has entered the race to sign West Ham winger Crysensio Summerville. The Hammers want at least double the initial £25m they paid for the 24-year-old. Chris Davie - The Metro (Questionable Source)

- AC Milan and Roma have dropped out of the race for Crysencio Summerville as his price has increased due to the World Cup. Sebastian Denis - Foot Mercado (Questionable Source)

- Real Madrid are one of the teams that have sounded out Crysencio Summerville. Alex Crook - TalkSport (Questionable Source)

- Tottenham Hotspur now among clubs keen on signing Mateus Fernandes. David Ornstein - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Tottenham is very close to reaching an agreement with Mateus Fernandes on the contract. Mateus Fernandes, also on the radar of other big clubs, is open to signing for Tottenham. Matteo Moretto (Okay Source)

- Tottenham are ready to offer 70M (not clarified on euros or pounds) to West Ham to try to sign Mateus Fernandes. Nicolò Schira (Bad Source)

- Whispers we are about to offer new (incentivized) contract offers to several key players, including Mavropanos. KUMB (Questionable Source)

- West Ham would like to receive a transfer fee for Niclas Füllkrug. Kicker (Questionable Source)

- The club has received a few offers for Niclas Fullkrug. He is on high wages resulting in these clubs not wishing to pay a transfer fee and are hoping for the club and player to mutually terminate his contract or for West Ham to pay a percentage of his wages which of course the club does not wish to do. A number of German and Italian teams are looking at him but there is hope a Saudi team may also move. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- Newly promoted Venezia are said to be interested in Fullkrug. Redazione (Questionable Source)

- West Ham’s decision to secure Kiebar Lamadrid on a permanent deal is seen as a major statement of faith in the player’s potential. Those inside the club are convinced he has the qualities to become a key figure in the squad. Sources suggest that fitness setbacks were the only thing preventing him from playing a much bigger role last season. Twitter (Bad Source)

- Krisztián Hegyi is set to complete a permanent move to Czech club Sparta Prague. This will likely mark a greater connection between the two clubs. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- David Moyes is ready to make a £20m bid for Jarrod Bowen, and is pushing Everton to do it. He is a first-choice target. Alan Nixon - The Sun (Bad Source)

- Whispers of Bournemouth being interested in Bowen following good odds by the bookies. Twitter (Bad Source)

- Aston Villa have expressed a strong interest in West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen. No club-to-club discussions have taken place and Villa view an agreement as currently difficult to do because they need to make player sales. The club values Bowen at £50M minimum. Jacob Tanswell and Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

- Turkish sources have been indicating Fenerbahce is currently exploring a deal for Todibo. Star (Questionable Source)

**Squad Rumours (Incoming)**

- We have interest in an “older kind of very experienced” centre back. KUMB (Questionable Source)

- We’ve been linked to U21 Spurs striker Will Lankshear, who is returning from loan with Oxford United. James Pennington - Football League World (Bad Source)

- A return to West Ham for Jesse Lingard is not expected to happen this summer. Lingard’s representatives had held discussions with David Sullivan regarding a potential move. However, following changes behind the scenes, the possibility of a deal has cooled significantly. Sources suggest Lingard is not viewed as the type of profile currently being prioritised as Nuno shapes the squad for the upcoming season. Twitter (Bad Source)

- Watford’s forward Nestory Irakunda is apparently a target. Mick Brown & Callum O'Connell - Football Insider and ExWHUEmployee (Bad Source/Good Source)

- Derby are close to agreeing a deal worth around £6m with Red Bull Salzburg for West Ham midfielder target Bobby Clark. John Percy - Telegraph (Okay Source)

- Middlesbrough AM Riley McGree is also someone we like. KUMB (Questionable Source)

- We have apparently put in a bid for Swansea’s Ethan Galbraith, following long term interest - we also apparently bid for him last summer. KUMB (Questionable Source)

- We’ve been linked to Flamengo CB Leo Pereira. Manuel Maza - Roundtable (Bad Source)

- West Ham have set their sights on Matías Soulé. Competition is expected, and a deal won’t come cheap, but West Ham are understood to be pushing hard to establish whether a move is possible. Twitter (Bad Source)

- West Ham are lining up a move to bring Chelsea defender Axel Disasi back to the club on a permanent deal. Any deal would depend on Chelsea's demands and the player's wage package, but early indications suggest there is a willingness from all parties to explore a move. Neil Goulding - SportsBoom (Bad Source)

- Despite that there is a lot of expected interest from other clubs in the EPL and abroad. ExWHUEmployee (Good Source)

- West Ham are understood to be keeping a close eye on Hull City goalkeeper Ivor Pandur. The Croatian shot-stopper has emerged as a player of interest as the club assess potential options between the posts this summer. Scouts have been impressed by his performances and believe he could represent strong value in the current market. This follows tentative interest from last summer. Twitter (Bad Source)

- A shock return for Evan Ferguson is emerging as a genuine possibility this summer. The striker remains highly regarded by Nuno, who is understood to be a huge admirer of the Republic of Ireland international and believes he still has enormous potential despite a difficult period. Twitter (Bad Source)

- Rangers CB Emmanuel Fernandez is on West Ham’s radar ahead of their pre-season clash. Football Insider (Bad Source)

- West Ham have added Neom midfielder Amadou Kone to their list of summer targets. Simon Jones - Daily Mail (Bad Source)

- Anthony Musaba is a player West Ham have been tracking extensively. The Dutch winger has impressed scouts with his pace, directness and ability to create chances from wide areas. With uncertainty surrounding Crysencio Summerville and Adama Traoré’s future, Musaba is viewed as a profile that could fit what Nuno wants from his attacking players. Twitter (Bad Source)

- West Ham are interested in Brighton winger Amario Cozier-Duberry. The 21-year-old, a long-standing target, helped Bolton Wanderers gain promotion to the Championship during a season-long loan. Roshane Thomas - The Athletic (Good Source)

The following is a personal statement from David Sullivan and his legal representatives, published here in its entirety for the benefit of transparency…

A statement from David Sullivan

I have recently become aware that factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life are due to be broadcast and published.

The false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media. After a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me. I categorically deny these claims.

I am a private man, and those who personally and professionally know the real David Sullivan, not the caricature invented by the tabloids, know exactly who I am and what I stand for. I am absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as.
I have not been provided with any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication. I believe that the entire process has been fundamentally unfair and completely lacking in any due impartiality. I will be suing the BBC for libel, along with any other media outlet that repeats any libelous allegations.

None of these allegations relate to my more than 30 years in football; West Ham United has been one of the greatest passions and privileges of my life. I care deeply about the club, its supporters, its players, its staff, and its future. At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability.
Therefore, after very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect.

This has been an incredibly painful decision to make, but it is one made out of love, respect, and responsibility toward a football club and a fan base that deserve absolute unity and focus moving forward.

I am stepping down to apply my full energy and attention on fighting these false allegations. I have officially engaged my legal team and we are preparing to issue legal proceedings in respect of each and every false complaint that has been made against me. I will be seeking full redress, legally and publicly, on every single front.

As I depart, I want to thank everyone connected with West Ham United, past and present, for the loyalty, friendship, memories and European adventures and successes that I will carry with me forever. West Ham United will always remain close to my heart, and I have total confidence that the Board of Directors and interim Chief Executive Officer Karim Virani will do everything they can to take the club forward in the right direction. I wish everyone connected with the club every success in the future.

I will not be making further public comment at this stage, but I reserve all legal rights available to me in relation to any false or defamatory allegations.
David Sullivan

Fill with whoever you want to see in the 25 man squad, or even just the starting XI if you wish. Include new additions and/or players you think we can retain and you’d like to see staying. Be as realistic, optimistic or pessimistic as you like.

Free spots can cover positions that might need extra depth (3rd GK, 5th CB, 3rd Striker, etc). I’ve also included the manager despite Nuno being confirmed to stay just for some extra flavour, include him if you think he’s the right choice or go for someone else if you might’ve preferred a change.

No.1 Goalie:
No.2 Goalie:
No.1 CB:
No.2 CB:
Backup.1 CB:
Backup.2 CB:
No.1 RB:
No.2 RB:
No.1 LB:
No.2 LB:
No.1 MF:
No.2 MF:
No.3 MF:
Backup.1 MF:
Backup.2 MF:
Backup.3 MF:
No.1 RW:
No.2 RW:
No.1 LW:
No.2 LW:
No.1 Striker:
No.2 Striker:
No.1 Free Spot:
No.2 Free Spot:
No.3 Free Spot:
Manager:

28th April, 2007. Going into the game against Wigan, West Ham sit 19th, 32 points - 4 points from safety. They have three games to play - Wigan, that same day, placed 16th. Bolton, 5th of May, placed 6th. Manchester United, 13th of May, placed 1st.

They beat Wigan away 0-3. 3 points gained. 18th place, 35 points. Now level with Wigan, 1 point from escaping the zone and 2 games to play.

Next is Bolton at home, another win, 3-1. 3 points gained. 17th place, 38 points. Out of the zone, but still a job to do, we still need one last point. Goal difference would relegate us if Wigan win the final game.

Final is Man United. Away. We win that too, 0-1. 3 points, 15th place. 41 points. Safe.

I’m not saying we will do this, but it has been done, and done by us at that. It isn’t over till it’s over.