West Ham tipped to capitalise on Premier League rivals’ ‘fire sale’
Julen Lopetegui could make use of his contact book to raid a Premier League rival in the summer transfer window.
West Ham could raid Premier League rivals Wolves in the summer transfer window with Julen Lopetegui in charge at the London Stadium. The Midlands club are expected to listen to offers for key stars this summer with a need to sell.
The Hammers have confirmed that David Moyes will leave his post at the end of his contract this summer and it is believed that Lopetegui is the man being prepared to take over at the club. The Spaniard has been out of work since quitting Wolves ahead of the current campaign following a fallout over transfers.
Having a say in the window is clearly an important part of Lopetegui’s work and former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has tipped West Ham to come calling at Wolves this summer. The 66-year-old, who was at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009, now runs a football consultancy for elite clubs.
He told the Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast: “The story with Wolves for many seasons has been the involvement of Jorge Mendes, the super agent. He has brought many Portuguese and Spanish players to the club.
“Lopetegui will have dealt with him and the players during his time there. I think there is a chance West Ham could go shopping there. A lot of those deals will be controlled by Mendes. He seems to have a big influence on the business at Molineux.
Wolves could be forced to sell this summer.
The outlet reports that Gary O’Neil’s side is set for ‘another fire sale’ this summer due to ongoing financial concerns. Players including Pedro Neto, Max Kilman, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hwang Hee-chan could be put in the shop window when the Premier League season comes to an end.
It’s set to be a key summer of transition for West Ham, as Lopetegui arrives to usher in a new era of football. The Hammers are also bracing for transfer interest in their own stars, including the ever-influential Lucas Paqueta.
