Out go two ageing out-of-contract full-backs – West Ham United will not renew the soon-to-be expiring deals of Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell – but could another arrive to help fill the void at the Premier League outfit?
The Hammers confirmed back in May that Coufal and Cresswell would not be retained at the London Stadium.
Coufal is keen to extend his Premier League career with Leeds United and Everton among those linked. Cresswell has not ruled out a return to Ipswich Town, meanwhile.
Wherever the long-serving duo end up, those departures leave West Ham United short of competition on both flanks. Graham Potter’s squad looks increasingly devoid of experience, too, with Michail Antonio, Lukasz Fabianski and Danny Ings also heading for the exit.
So, while West Ham are focusing on young, hungry players this summer, there is an argument to be made that Wolves captain Nelson Semedo is worth deviating from the plan for.
West Ham United tipped to bring in Wolves captain Nelson Semedo
At 31, the Portugal international is only one year younger than the aforementioned Coufal.
The 2024/25 Premier League campaign was, however, one of his best in the Old Gold of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nelson Semedo started 32 top-flight matches, and clearly still has plenty left in the tank at the highest level.
An experienced free-agent capable of playing on both flanks and a footballer clearly respected for his ability to lead by example – Semedo was handed the captain’s armband following Mario Lemina’s Molineux exit – West Ham could do worse than to reunite Max Kilman with an old Wolves teammate.
That is the view of Jeff Stelling, Sky Sports legend turned talkSPORT host, and one backed up by former Aston Villa skipper Gabby Agbonlahor.
“I tell you what, West Ham that would be an interesting choice,” Stelling argues. “They’ve got Aaron Wan-Bissaka bombing forward on one side, Nelson Semedo [would fit nicely] on the other side.
“I think that Semedo may head to Saudi. But, if he doesn’t, West Ham…”
“Totally agree,” Agbonlahor adds.
“They need a lot of work this summer, West Ham. Cresswell has gone, Coufal is leaving as well. Centre-halves, as well, West Ham need. A striker. They’ve got problems West Ham.”
West Ham close in on Josh Brownhill but CJ Egan Riley is Marseille bound
With money tight at the London Stadium, West Ham have held talks with Josh Brownhill as they look to make progress in the market without dipping into a budget dependent on player sales. Brownhill is also heading towards free agency.
West Ham had hoped to sign CJ Egan Riley, too, but another of Burnley’s promotion-winning heroes has opted to cross the Channel and join Marseille.
“We actually don’t think Brownhill is as good as the players we have already got, and we have a lot of midfielders!,” a West Ham spokesman officially told Hammers News a few days ago.
“We have a tiny bit for wages but we can’t bring players in until we sell.”
A £28 million signing from La Liga giants Barcelona back in 2020, Semedo may not cost West Ham a fee in transfer fees but his reported wage demands have already kiboshed a move to the Stade Velodrome of his own.
Marseille, while setting a medical in motion for England Under-21 international Egan-Riley, have reportedly called off talks with Semedo after the Benfica graduate requested a ‘big salary’, Walid Acherchour told the RMC Sport podcast.
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