£15 million summer capture is ‘on’ | Report

Completing West Ham’s defensive line-up will be a big relief to all: The reliance upon makeshift full backs such as Vlad Coufal, whilst showing ingenuity is hardly the stuff of Premier League success. The Hammers have operated with just three full backs since Julen Lopetegui decided to exile Nayef Aguerd on a season-long loan with no recall option in August 2024.

So the reports that West Ham are planning a ‘swoop’ (why that word, I wonder?) for Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the summer of 2025 is welcome news indeed. Even more welcome is the reported stance of the player who is said today to be prioritising his own career should Southampton get relegated as is likely: footballinsider247 suggest the England centre-back will listen to offers from both West Ham and Crystal Palace come the summer with his desire to remain in New England manager Thomas Tuchel’s thinking.

Graham Potter will have to decide whether to keep Nayef Aguerd when his season long loan in Spain finishes, so the chances are no decision will be made early in the Summer whilst the Hammers coaching team assess their options, with spending ‘zero’, of course, an attractive option.

If they do decide to offload Aguerd or Mavropanos, Harwood-Bellis who is well used to working in a defensive trio would fit straight into Potter’s favoured defence formation, and at a rumoured £15 million would be well within West Ham’s budget.

If the Hammers do end up bringing him east for that sort of price then that, frankly, would be a steal.