West Ham transfers have generated at least £140million in headline fees from two major departures, delivered six summer signings and still left Nuno Espírito Santo searching for reinforcements across four positions.
That contrast explains the uncertainty surrounding West Ham’s squad heading into the final week of the transfer window.
Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville have gone. Arne Engels, Joël Piroe and Manor Solomon have arrived. Further departures remain possible, and several important areas still require attention.
The EFL confirms the summer transfer window closes at 11pm on Tuesday, September 1.
For Nuno and recruitment chief Nils Koppen, the remaining days will determine whether West Ham’s promotion squad feels complete or simply patched together.
West Ham transfers began with £140m in major sales
Relegation always made significant departures likely, and two sales quickly transformed West Ham’s summer.
Mateus Fernandes joined Tottenham in a deal worth approximately £85million.
Sky Sports reported that the Portugal international became Tottenham’s record signing when his transfer was completed in July.
Crysencio Summerville subsequently joined Al Hilal. Sky Sports reported an initial £55million fee, with another £5million available through potential add-ons.
That takes the two reported initial transfer values to approximately £140million, potentially rising to £145million if Summerville’s additional payments are triggered.
Those figures should not be mistaken for money immediately available to spend.
Transfer payments can arrive in instalments, while wages, existing commitments and the financial consequences of relegation all shape recruitment decisions.
The Guardian previously reported that West Ham recorded a £104.2million loss, providing important context for the club’s willingness to sell.
The bigger sporting consequence is that West Ham lost two of their most influential players before attempting an immediate Premier League return.
Replacing their quality has required more than simply finding like-for-like alternatives.
Six West Ham transfers have reshaped Nuno’s squad
West Ham’s summer business has produced six confirmed arrivals.
Keiber Lamadrid completed a permanent move after initially joining on loan, while experienced defender Joël Veltman arrived following his Brighton departure.
Manor Solomon then joined from Tottenham. The Standard reported that his transfer involved £5million up front and a further £2million in potential add-ons.
Solomon offers genuine Championship pedigree after producing 10 goals and 12 assists during Leeds United’s promotion campaign in 2024/25.
West Ham’s official profile confirms those numbers and records his debut goal against Burnley.
Engels followed from Celtic in a deal reported to be worth £22million.
West Ham have not publicly confirmed the exact fee, but their official announcement describes the transfer as the most expensive completed by a Championship club.
The Belgian brings 39 goal involvements from 100 Celtic appearances and represents the clearest attempt to replace the creativity lost through Fernandes’ departure.
Piroe then arrived from Leeds on an initial season-long loan.
West Ham confirmed that the agreement contains an obligation to make the transfer permanent in 2027, with the striker bringing 73 Championship goals across four seasons.
He immediately demonstrated his value by scoring against Charlton.
The sixth addition was Divine Mukasa, who returned to his former club on loan from Manchester City.
West Ham confirmed Mukasa joined on a season-long agreement, adding another creative option after his previous Championship experience with Leicester.
Collectively, those six arrivals provide experience, attacking quality and familiarity with the demands of a promotion campaign.
What they do not provide is complete balance.
West Ham transfers must address an unsettled defence
West Ham have conceded four goals across their first two Championship matches.
The defensive concerns are not limited to those results. Uncertainty around Jean-Clair Todibo also threatens to reduce Nuno’s options further.
West Ham have reportedly held discussions with an unnamed Premier League club over Todibo, while Marseille have also been linked with the France international.
No completed agreement has been announced.
If Todibo leaves, West Ham must decide whether his departure requires one new centre-back or potentially two.
Veltman can operate centrally, but he also provides cover at right-back following Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s departure.
That leaves Kyle Walker-Peters as the established right-back, while Veltman’s flexibility becomes more valuable across two positions.
Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos started together against Charlton, but another experienced central defender appears necessary if Todibo’s situation changes.
Ethan Pinnock had been identified as a possible option.
However, West Ham missed out after Coventry agreed a deal worth up to £6million for the Brentford defender.
Victor Nelsson has also been offered to West Ham, although there is currently no confirmed bid or agreement for the Galatasaray defender.
The left-back situation presents another possible complication.
Malick Diouf remains subject to interest from Brentford, and his departure would leave Ollie Scarles carrying greater responsibility.
West Ham have identified Angers defender Jacques Ekomie as a potential replacement, but Wrexham have already submitted a reported £4.3million offer.
That bid came from Wrexham, not West Ham.
Left-back is therefore a conditional requirement rather than an automatic one. If Diouf stays, Nuno retains two options. If he leaves, the defensive rebuild immediately becomes more complicated.
West Ham transfers could hinge on Edson Álvarez
The arrival of Engels strengthened central midfield, but it did not necessarily resolve every issue in that area.
Tomáš Souček remains unavailable through injury, while James Ward-Prowse, Mohamadou Kanté and Lewis Orford offer different profiles without providing a guaranteed long-term solution in the defensive role.
Edson Álvarez could fill that position, but his future remains uncertain.
Olympiacos have reportedly submitted an €8million offer for the Mexico international, while Real Sociedad have also been linked.
Neither West Ham nor Olympiacos has announced an agreement.
Álvarez started the Carabao Cup victory over Portsmouth but did not feature in West Ham’s opening two Championship matches.
If he leaves, the club would lose one of the few experienced natural defensive midfielders available to Nuno.
That helps explain why West Ham have identified a defensive midfielder among four remaining recruitment priorities.
Chelsea midfielder Dário Essugo has been mentioned as a possible option, but there is no confirmed agreement.
West Ham have also been linked with Real Betis midfielder Nelson Deossa.
Diario de Sevilla reports that West Ham are among several clubs interested in Deossa, although the Colombian has not indicated he is ready to leave.
He should not automatically be presented as a direct Álvarez replacement. His potential arrival would represent another midfield option, while the need for a specialist defensive player could remain.
West Ham transfers still need another winger and striker
The attacking picture has improved since the opening weeks of the window.
Solomon scored against Burnley, Piroe struck on his debut against Charlton, and Mukasa offers another creative option between the lines.
Jarrod Bowen remains the central figure.
However, the available depth becomes less convincing once injuries and potential rotation are considered.
His absence leaves Piroe and Valentín Castellanos carrying most of the centre-forward workload.
Niclas Füllkrug is no longer available as an alternative after West Ham confirmed his season-long loan to Werder Bremen.
That explains why another striker remains under consideration despite Piroe’s arrival.
A different profile would also give Nuno greater flexibility if he wants to change formation or rest either of his established forwards.
West Ham also continue to examine wide options.
The Standard reported that the club approached Arsenal over Reiss Nelson.
Viking winger Edvin Austbø has also been linked, but neither player has been confirmed as an incoming signing.
Mukasa can operate across attacking areas, although he is primarily a creative midfielder rather than a straightforward replacement for Summerville.
Another natural winger would therefore reduce the dependence on Bowen and Solomon while giving Nuno more scope to rotate across a demanding Championship schedule.
West Ham transfers now depend on timing and Jarrod Bowen
The remaining priorities are relatively clear: a centre-back, a defensive midfielder, a winger and another striker.
A replacement left-back could also become necessary if Diouf leaves.
But the most important decision may involve a player West Ham already possess.
Allowing the captain to leave would create a larger problem than any currently under discussion.
Replacing Fernandes and Summerville was already difficult enough. Losing Bowen would remove the player around whom much of the rebuilt attack is expected to function.
The opening draw at Burnley and defeat against Charlton have also reduced the margin for recruitment mistakes.
West Ham cannot afford to wait until September to discover that defensive cover is insufficient, midfield balance remains wrong or their attacking options lack depth.
The summer has delivered six signings and approximately £140million in major initial sales.
Whether that becomes a successful rebuild will depend on what happens next.
