Julen Lopetegui drops major West Ham transfer hint in new Sky Sports interview. Julen Lopetegui sat down with Sky Sports for an in-depth interview ahead of his first game as West Ham boss and was asked about transfers. There has been claim and counter claim about whether West Ham’s business is finished in this summer’s transfer window.
West Ham have been one of the most active clubs in Europe. Technical director Tim Steidten has worked alongside new Hammers head coach Julen Lopetegui to bring in eight new signings. Brazilian teen sensation Luis Guilherme came in for £20m from Palmeiras.
Wes Foderingham was signed on a smart free transfer to provide much-needed experienced back-up while also ticking the homegrown box. Max Kilman, a player Lopetegui pushed West Ham to sign, then arrived for £40m from Wolves.
Championship player of the year Crysencio Summerville came in for £26m from Leeds closely followed by Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug and Argentinian World Cup winning midfielder Guido Rodriguez.
The Hammers pulled off one of the coups of the summer window by landing dominant centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo in a loan with obligation to buy set at around £28m. Window dubbed West Ham’s best ever. That obligation kicks in once Todibo has started five games for the Hammers.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka then became West Ham’s eighth and latest signing. Crucially, West Ham have also – at the time of writing – retained their key stars such as Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, Lucas Paqueta and Alphonse Areola.
Many are calling this West Ham’s best ever transfer window. But earlier this week Hammers News was reliably informed by a top club source that West Ham could yet make another three signings before the window shuts.
That will depend on whether two or three current players deemed surplus to requirements can be shipped out first, though. Speaking in his first press conference of the new season, Lopetegui confirmed he still wants to add more signings to his squad.
The Spaniard told the media he wants two players fighting for every position. Other sources have stated Wan-Bissaka was likely the end of the club’s business. But Lopetegui has dropped a major West Ham transfer hint in a new Sky Sports interview.
Lopetegui drops major West Ham transfer hint in new interview
Spain and PSG midfielder Carlos Soler, strikers Jhon Duran and Tammy Abraham and multiple defenders continue to be linked with late window moves to the London Stadium. Now, in an exciting update for West Ham fans, Lopetegui has told Sky Sports senior journalist Charlotte Marsh he still wants more arrivals if possible.
And he says he speaks to targets to ensure West Ham are signing the right players and characters with the right ambition and motivation.
“We had one idea (together) and we talked within the club about our idea (for transfers),” Lopetegui said in a wide-ranging interview ahead of the opener against Villa.
“While the market is open, anything can happen so we know how the football side is… “We try to talk with the players (we want to sign) and know all about them, not only about the football skills and the quality of the physical strength.
“The personality for me is very important – how is his ambition? We need to put inside the dressing room ambitious players, who are ready to overcome the difficult moments.” So it could yet be an exciting final two weeks of the window for West Ham.
If a number of players can be moved on then it is all systems go for as many as 10 or 11 signings in this revolutionary rebuild following the departure of David Moyes.
