Last season, only three Premier League teams conceded more goals than West Ham United.
A stat which reflects even worse on The Hammers when you learn the identity of those three teams. The relegated trio of Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town.
Nayef Aguerd failed to build on a promising first season in claret and blue. Konstantinos Mavropanos committed his fair share of high-profile blunders. And Kurt Zouma, the man who replaced Declan Rice as West Ham’s captain, seemed to shrink with the armband around his bicep.
So the proposed defensive overhaul at the London Stadium has understandably been very well received by a fanbase who watched their side breached a staggering 74 times throughout the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
West Ham United have already signed Wolves’ Max Kilman
Max Kilman’s arrival – on a £40 million deal – reunites Julen Lopetegui with his former Wolves skipper.
Kilman, a natural left-footer, should open the door for Aguerd to depart. Potentially back to France.
HITC, meanwhile, understands that West Ham submitted a £25 million bid for Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo too. A right-sided centre-half by trade, Todibo looks like a potentially excellent partner for Kilman in a new-look back two pairing under Lopetegui.
But with Nice in no rush to sell – certainly not for less than £30 million – West Ham will have to dig a little deeper if they are to tie up a deal for the one-time Barcelona youngster. The Ligue 1 outfit may be under no pressure to sell, either, after letting Khephren Thuram complete his move to Juventus to the tune. of£17 million.
Los Aiglons coach Franck Haise, meanwhile, insists that Todibo will remain a key part of his plans as long as there is nothing agreed to take the Frenchman away from the Allianz Riviera.
“There are possibilities for lots of players. For the reasons you know, the market hasn’t really got going yet as you can see,” Haise, who was briefly linked with the Liverpool job before leaving Lens for Nice, tells Get France Football News.
“I work with the players that I currently have.”
Hammers may have to pay £40 million for Jean-Clair Todibo
Todibo featured during Nice’s 2-2 friendly draw with the similarly Ineos-owned Lausanne Sport on Wednesday.
“I know full well that, in 15 days or a month, there are players that will no longer be here or players that will arrive,” adds Haise. “For now, Jean-Clair is working well. He is very serious. He had a good half.
“I have no issue with playing him because perhaps he will stay at Nice. We don’t know.”
Manchester United are also big admirers of Todibo.
But a move to Old Trafford will not happen this summer after a UEFA ruling blocked the trade of a player from one Ineos-controlled side to another with Man United and Nice potentially going head to head in the Europa League next season.
HITC understands that Nice are looking for around £40 million for Todibo, an excellent distributor from the back and one who looks very well suited to Lopetegui’s possession-based gamplan.
West Ham have put forward the idea of a swap deal that would potentially see Zouma move in the other direction.
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