West Ham United have been handed hope in their pursuit of Sevilla and Switzerland winger Ruben Vargas.
Because while Daniel Kretinsky has eased the financial concerns at the London Stadium, the seven-time Europa League champions are not so fortunate.
Sevilla are paying the price for deviating from the fabled buy-low, sell-high policy that brought Ivan Rakitic, Dani Alves, Luis Fabiano and Jules Kounde to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
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West Ham United have wasted plenty of money on over-the-hill veterans with no re-sale value – James Ward-Prowse and Niclas Fullkrug returned to Rush Green this week – but at least they have the riches of English football and a Czech billionaire preventing the coffers from going bare.
Sevilla, having embarked on a similarly short-sighted, financially disastrous strategy, have no choice but to sell in order to save them from the brink.
According to Andalusian-based publication Orgullobiri, West Ham are keen to liberate Ruben Vargas from the crisis-hit corridors of Sevilla. A price-tag of £12 million has been placed on the winger, amid rival interest from Brighton, Villarreal and Trabzonspor.
West Ham United in the mix to sign Sevilla winger Ruben Vargas
Speaking as Sevilla officially unveiled three new signings – all free-agents, unsurprisingly – sporting director Jose Ignacio Navarro did not mention Vargas by name. He did, though, confirm that no one at Sevilla is ‘unsellable’, while departures are needed in order to free up space for new signings.
Cashing in on Vargas is not only likely, then, but necessary.
“We do not have the capacity to register any players at this time, unless we transfer a player or free up salary space,” Navarro said.
“We’re in the transfer market. Everyone is for sale and everyone can come. It’s open until September 1st, and we’ll see what happens.”
In short, Sevilla will not stand in Vargas’ way as long as their £12 million asking price is met.
“Sevilla are facing financial disaster from heavy debt mixed with operational losses,” the Football Finance Lab explained in April. “Sevilla are in a very bleak financial situation, which also affects their performance on the pitch.
“If the club fails to increase revenues significantly or reduce costs significantly within a very short period of time, then it will soon be bankrupt.”
Vargas could potentially replace Crysencio Summerville
Reports indicate that the Vargas would prefer a move to England over staying in Spain, because he feels his style of play is more suited to the transitional, box-to-box style of the British game.
The catch, though, is that the former Augsburg and Luzern forward has his sights set on the Premier League rather than the Championship. The Hammers may need to be at their most persuasive here.
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Vargas scored an unimpressive three goals in 20 La Liga starts last season, but he did provide six assists. The 27-year-old was one of the standout Swiss performers at the 2026 World Cup, meanwhile. He stepped off the bench against Bosnia in the group stages and, by scoring one and creating another inside just six minutes, turned a 0-0 stalemate into an emphatic 4-1 victory.
Considering he is at his most comfortable when drifting in from the left onto his right foot, Vargas appears to be one of the Crysencio Summerville replacements shortlisted by Nuno Espirito Santo, Nils Koppen and co.
While no one has triggered the £50 million release clause in his contract yet, Aston Villa may be emerging as the most likely destination for Summerville. Especially after Arsenal bowed out of the race by signing Christos Tzolis, and with Manchester United unable to make a move until they find a solution to their Marcus Rashford problem.
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