West Ham must finally axe £25m dud who was Moyes' "first choice signing"
da apostaganha： Defensively, West Ham United have struggled in the 2024/25 Premier League season.
da betway： The Hammers, now led by Graham Potter, have one of the worst records in the top flight when it comes to conceding goals. There are only four sides that have shipped more than the East Londoners, with three of those the relegated sides.
As per Understat, West Ham have let in 59 goals this term, averaging 1.68 goals conceded per game. That overall number is actually more than three better than their expected goals against total, which is currently 62.73 xGA.
With that in mind, it might not be too much of a surprise that the Hammers are chasing some defensive reinforcements this summer.
The latest on West Ham's hunt for new defenders
One of the more ambitious defensive signings West Ham could try and make this summer would be to bring David Hancko to the club.
The Slovakian international seems destined to leave Feyenoord in a few weeks time, and Dutch publication Voetbal International report there is interest from Atletico Madrid, Al Nassr and Chelsea, as well as the Hammers.
The left-footed defender can play both left-back and left centre-back, and would add plenty of experience at the heart of the Hammers’ defence. He has made 44 appearances this term, for a Feyenoord side who have conceded just 33 top-flight goals.
Another defensive player who West Ham seem like they could be in for this summer is Kyle Walker-Peters. The Southampton man was part of a relegated side this season, but has been an important player for the South Coast side.
A report from journalist Greame Bailey suggests the Hammers are one of the sides trying to sign Walker-Peters on a free transfer this summer. However, they will face competition from his former club, Tottenham Hotspur and South London side Crystal Palace.
Despite the leaky defence at St Mary’s, there is no denying Walker-Peters’ quality. Former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl once said he is an “unbelievably smart footballer”, and compared him to legendary right-back Phillipp Lahm.
The Hammers will certainly need to raise funds to afford the wages of both of these players. There is one obvious candidate who could leave the club to make room in the wage budget.
The defender West Ham must axe this summer
One player who has had no involvement in a Hammers shirt this season is Kurt Zouma. The Frenchman, who hails from Lyon, is currently out on loan at Saudi Arabian side Al-Orobah and has not played for West Ham at all this season.
In fact, the former Chelsea player has not had too much first-team football for his temporary side Al-Orobah, either. He has only featured 16 times in all competitions, with 15 of those games coming in the Saudi Pro League.
At one stage, the centre-back was viewed as a vital cog in the works at the London Stadium. He joined the club in 2021 for £25m after leaving Chelsea, and was described as the club’s “first choice” signing at by former manager David Moyes at the time of his arrival.
The 30-year-old made just over a century of appearances in the famous claret and blue shirt, specifically reaching 103 games for the club. Zouma even skippered the club on 37 occasions and scored six times, including one goal in a 2-1 win away to Luton Town last term.
The Frenchman was also an important figure in the Hammers’ Conference League triumph back in 2022. As per Sofascore, he played seven games in that competition, averaging 2.8 aerial duels won and 1.9 tackles won per game.
Zouma stats in 2021/22 Conference League
Stat
Per 90
Total
Minutes played
68.1
477
Pass accuracy
85.5%
85.5%
Long balls completed
1.7
9
Tackles and interceptions
1.9
10
Aerial duels won
2.8
15
Stats from Sofascore
Overall, it does seem as though Zouma’s career has petered out at the London Stadium. His contract will expire in a few weeks’ time, and it seems unlikely to be renewed, given his current loan move to Al Orobah.
Not only will that free up money on the wage budget for the Hammers, but they will also be able to reinvest it into new signings that could include Hancko and Walker-Peters.
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