Julen Lopetegui has already embarked on a big squad overhaul at West Ham United this summer.
He’s brought three new signings to the London Stadium, whilst the likes of Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer and Ben Johnson have been let go.
West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui probably needs to make at least four more top quality signings, if he’s to guide us to a successful 2024/25 campaign on all fronts.
The friendly clash with Dagenham on Saturday highlighted just how short we are quality wise – here’s how Hammers News rated the players.
If the Hammers are to reach the next level, I feel like Lopetegui has to address his central defensive department.
Sure, he has already signed Max Kilman, but Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd just aren’t good enough to play in the Premier League as far as I’m concerned.
And one of them could be set to leave this summer. Hopefully that will create space for another new arrival…
Nayef Aguerd wants out of West Ham
According to Caught Offside, Aguerd wants to leave West Ham to join Atletico Madrid this summer.
I say good luck to him, on your way old chap!
Lopetegui has a transfer budget of around £90 million to play with this summer, excluding player sales.
With so many new signings required, that won’t stretch very far, especially when considering the fact that the Spaniard has already splashed out £65 million on new signings.
So if we can move Aguerd on for anything like £20-25 million, Lopetegui will receive a huge cash injection.
The 43-capped Morocco international has proven to be a terrible signing for the Hammers over the past two years.
![(Back row L-R) West Ham United's Polish goalkeeper #01 Lukasz Fabianski, West Ham United's English midfielder #09 Michail Antonio, West Ham United'...](https://cdn1.hammers.news/uploads/25/2024/07/GettyImages-2147906978-2-1024x683.jpg)
Aguerd joined the Hammers from Rennes in the summer of 2022 for around £30 million, and despite impressing initially, he has really struggled over the past year or so.
The 28-year-old is not suited to the Premier League one little bit, what with its robust physical nature and intensity.
It’s all good possessing decent pace and being comfortable in possession but when you can’t hack the physicality of the league, then you’re never going to succeed.
Unfortunately, that’s where West Ham are at with Nayef Aguerd right now. It’s actually good news that he wants to leave.
And if we’re able to sell him in the summer, I think Lopetegui shouldn’t think twice about moving him on.
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