Amongst the pile of unfinished business in the last couple of transfer windows has been the replacement of Nayef Aguerd. The Moroccan centre back was sold ahead of the start of the 2025/6 season after a long loan and the Hammers operated with just three centre backs plus academy talent Kaelan Casey as emergency cover in case Lopetegui’s side ran into injury problems.
Suffice to say, that didn’t work out well in another classic case of Sullivan selling a first team player without replacing with a like – for – like and simply banking the £20 million instead of re-investing.
Until the arrival of Chelsea’s Axel Disasi on deadline day this winter, the Hammers were woefully short in defence and the results showed it. Little wonder the trio of Todibo Kilman and Mavropanos had one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League and the club slumped to 18th in the league largely as a result of the terrible quantity of goals conceded.
Now that Disasi has left and Todibo is – surely on his way, the Hammers are reportedly finally getting their act together – a year late- to replace Aguerd with a new centre back. According to footballleagueworld.co.uk:
“West Ham United, Coventry City and Hull City ready potential transfer moves for Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis..
“Back in January, Football League World exclusively revealed that the Stockport native was on the radar of several Premier League sides, with the likes of West Ham, Everton and Crystal Palace, in particular, namedropped as subsequent potential destinations.
Report claims Hammers are looking again at Taylor Harwood Bellis – but no mention of how they plan to fund a purchase!
Given Saints’ need to potentially balance the books, exit talk is now surrounding the defender once more, with talkSPORT revealing that Harwood-Bellis is still admired by chiefs at the London Stadium, as the Irons prepare for their first spell as a Championship side in 14 years.”
But the same report highlights West Ham’s most pressing issue which may well work against them (as Matt wrote earlier:)
“West Ham would need to offload star names before pressing forward with Taylor Harwood-Bellis move”
Indeed. With the Hammers mountain of debt, despite continuing interest in Harwood Bellis, it simply doesn’t add up financially unless they recoup a huge fee for Jean Clair Todibo. Another one to watch as the transfer window develops but one thing is for sure, Mavropanos is going to need a new centre back partner come August and Nuno has already decided it won’t be Maximilan Kilman.
That boats sailed. Why would he come to us. Really shows how far we have fallen down the pecking order when we can’t even compete with newly promoted Coventry or Hull City.
Mavro will need a new partner!
Has he now agreed to stay at whu previously he was going.
this is funny. why would he opt to do a sideways move in the Championship when he has interest from Premier League clubs!
we lost our chance to sign him over the past 2 seasons (same with Cresswell as well)