- 15 Nov 2024
Lopetegui plotting West Ham transfers with TWO signings lined up
Robin Bairner
- 10 May 2024 12:30 BST
- 2 min read
Julen Lopetegui might not have been officially announced as West Ham’s manager, yet the Spaniard, who is widely expected to replace David Moyes in the summer, has already lined up two signings for the Hammers.
The former Wolves boss is looking to another of his former clubs to bolster West Ham’s ranks ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Lopetegui is ready to raid Sevilla for two players worth a combined €25 million, suggesting the former Real Madrid and Spain head coach is looking for value as well as quality in his reinforcements.
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According to The Sun, the first of the next West Ham boss’ targets is World Cup-winning full-back Marcos Acuna.
The 32-year-old Argentina international has been with Sevilla since 2020/21 and finds himself out of contract in 2025.
This could be the veteran’s final chance to play Premier League football.
READ MORE: Premier League summer transfers 2024: All the Done Deals
Current ETV
Marcos Acuña
D, M, AM (L)
Sevilla
Marcos Acuña
D, M, AM (L)
Sevilla
ETV Range
€4.8M - €8M
Secondly, the Hammers are following versatile forward Youssef En-Nesyri, who is a Morocco international.
He has 17 goals in all competitions this season, suggesting he could provide at least part of the answer to the London side’s lack of goal-scoring power.
Lopetegui is said to have already made contact with both players.
Current ETV
Youssef En-Nesyri
F (CRL)
Sevilla
Youssef En-Nesyri
F (CRL)
Sevilla
ETV Range
€14.2M - €23.7M
Sevilla primed to sell
West Ham now have a significant draw. It has been reported that Lopetegui turned down the opportunity to manage Bayern Munich in order to take charge at the London Stadium, showing that the Hammers are an attractive club to be at presently.
If the Premier League outfit are on the up, that is certainly not the case for Sevilla, whose fortunes have slipped dramatically this season.
Although the Andalucian side have managed to push themselves away from the relegation zone, they will have no European football next season.
What this means for Sevilla as they weigh up the possibility of Acuna and En-Nesyri leaving the club is that they face a significant financial black hole after playing in the Champions League this term.
With their finances already fragile, any offer from West Ham will be considered.
