5 players who should be West Ham transfer targets

West Ham United are preparing to usher in a new era after replacing David Moyes with former Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui.

The 57-year-old Spaniard is no stranger to the Premier League after a short but relatively sweet spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the climate is very different at the London Stadium as the club work towards further disrupting the Premier League's previously established 'big six'.

The Hammers have finished 6th, 7th and 9th in three of the last four Premier League seasons, though some serious surgery is required on a squad that was relatively threadbare under Moyes.

Departures have been weakened West Ham's arsenal further – Angelo Ogbonna, Ben Johnson, Divin Mubama and Said Benrahma among others to leave – and there's plenty of work for Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten to do in the transfer market.

Here's five players 90min thinks the club should definitely be considering this summer.

1. Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Club: Manchester United
Position: Right-back

With Ben Johnson's departure to Ipswich Town confirmed, West Ham face the task of securing a new right-back this summer to provide competition for the ever-reliable Vladimir Coufal.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka stands out as an exceptional addition to the team, despite making just 22 Premier League appearances for Manchester United last season because of injuries.

Robust in the tackle, the 24-year-old is extremely adept at one-on-one defending and is versatile enough to play at right centre-back – should Wst Ham revert to a back three – and also on the left if push comes to shove.

Wan-Bissaka has one year remaining on his United contract and a deal could be done as the club look to usher in a new INEOS-backed era of their own. There's also market value preservation for the Red Devils to consider – they won't the former Palace man to walk away on the cheap next year.

2. Jacob Greaves

Club: Hull City
Position: Centre-back

Wolves captain Max Kilman is a player heavily linked with West Ham, but the attention should perhaps be on a rising star in the Championship: Hull City's Jacob Greaves.

The 23-year-old progressed through the club's academy and has been a first-team regular for four seasons. With a loan spell at Cheltenham Town under his belt too, astonishingly he's already clocked up over 200 appearances in all competitions.

Standing 6'4, he's garnered significant interest from the Premier League owing to his success rate in aerial duels and his consistency during 2023/24 was rewarded with a spot in the Championship Team of the Season.

3. Rayan Cherki

Club: Olympique Lyonnais
Position: Midfielder

A player likened to Dimitri Payet? That's a 'yes please' from most West Ham fans.

Talanted playmaker Rayan Cherki may not yet be at the level of Payet but the sky really is the limit for a player who is known to be on the radars of Paris Saint-Germain and Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.

With just one year left on Cherki's deal, the opportunity is there for Steidten to muscle in and use some of his negotiating nous to get West Ham a bargain. It's unlikely to happen but not impossible.

4. Niclas Fullkrug

Club: Borussia Dortmund
Position: Forward

At every international tournament, there's always one individual whose performance level captures the imagination.

And while Niclas Fullkrug may not be the delicate, graceful striker that West Ham fans would want to sign, he may be the one who is perfectly suited to replacing the ageing Michail Antonio.

Fullkrug has scored really important goals for Germany at Euro 2024 – his strike against Scotland on the opening night an absolute banger – and his all-round skillset appears to align perfectly with what works at West Ham.

Strong, good in the air and a tidy finisher, the Hammers could do a lot worse than to test the resolve of current employers Borussia Dortmund.

5. Tammy Abraham

Club: AS Roma
Position: Forward

While not as physically imposing as Fullkrug, Tammy Abraham could make a similar impact if he lands at West Ham.

Flanked potentially by Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus – both of whom possess terrific crossing abilities and the instincts to play killer through balls – Abraham could thrive on the service available to him, increasing West Ham's potency on the ground as well as in the air.

The 26-year-old has admittedly spent the best part of a year sidelined at AS Roma because of a serious knee injury but he knows how to score goals in the Premier League. His time at Chelsea ended prematurely, though that can likely be attributed to the chaos at the club rather than any individual failings.

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