West Ham United have three fresh names attached to their Championship rebuild, with a South American midfielder, a French centre-back and the club’s most consistent defender from last season all in the conversation this week.
West Ham are hunting reinforcements across the pitch after selling Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham and losing Callum Wilson on a free transfer, and the midfield search has already thrown up James McAtee this week. Now three more names have entered the picture.
Denil Castillo Emerges As Midfield Option
According to Ecuadorian outlet El Diario, West Ham have joined the clubs monitoring FC Midtjylland midfielder Denil Castillo. The 22-year-old Ecuador international has made 85 appearances for the Danish Superliga club since arriving in 2024, chipping in with six goals and eight assists, and is contracted in Denmark until 2031.
It is understood to be an early-stage links story rather than an active negotiation, with no move yet reported by the player’s club, but it fits the profile of the younger, developing talent Nils Koppen has prioritised since taking on West Ham’s recruitment.
Bastien Meupiyou On Nuno’s Radar
The Athletic report that Nuno Espirito Santo is an admirer of Alverca centre-back Bastien Meupiyou, with the 20-year-old Frenchman previously on Wolves’ books before joining the Portuguese club last summer. Meupiyou made 30 appearances in Liga Portugal last season and, like Nuno, is represented by Jorge Mendes’ Gestifute agency, a connection that has smoothed several deals for the head coach in the past.
The interest comes with West Ham facing a defensive rebuild following Axel Disasi’s return to Chelsea after his loan spell and question marks over Jean-Clair Todibo’s future.
Where Talks Stand On Axel Disasi
On that front, Chelsea insider Simon Phillips reports that Chelsea have effectively agreed a fee of around £25million for Disasi, giving West Ham permission to negotiate personal terms directly with the defender. West Ham are said to be offering the Frenchman a leadership role in Nuno’s squad as they try to convince him that Championship football is the right next step, with his performances on loan last season having made him a fans’ favourite.
Nothing is finalised on any of the three fronts, but with Edson Alvarez’s exit to FC Koln also still being finalised, West Ham’s midfield and defence look set for significant turnover before the Championship opener at Burnley.
