West Ham to improve 'homegrown quota' as interest in ex-Spain boss revived

It’s been far from a pleasant April in Stratford with David Moyes’s West Ham suffering defeats to Fulham, Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen as the latter beat the Irons 3-1 on aggregate to reach the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final.

With Moyes entering the final months of his current contract, all eyes have been on the London Stadium board to see whether the 61-year-old Scotsman will be offered the extension if the rumours are to be believed and the Irons are seeking the managerial expertise of someone else.

As we approach the final three matches of the season, here is the latest transfer news from around the West Ham club...

Interest in ex-Spain boss reignited

West Ham have reportedly revived their interest in the former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui after learning that AC Milan were closing in on a deal to replace Stefano Pioli this summer (The Guardian).

The Irons had thought to have cooled their interest in the ex-Spain head coach and while Lopetegui is keen to be back working in England, it had been believed that the possibility of working for a club with such a history as Milan would be too difficult to turn down. There are now indications that the Serie A club have toned down their pursuit of the 57-year-old with the deal said to be “very unlikely” to go through amid concerns that a lot of Milanese supporters would object to Lopetegui’s appointment.

West Ham to improve ‘homegrown quota’

This summer is expected to see more than just a managerial change as the Irons seek to strengthen their defence options and are looking to the Championship to do so. The Stratford club have already expressed interest in bringing Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo over from the west of the city, with his contract expiring at the end of the season.

However, they are now hoping to bolster their homegrown quota as they enter talks with 23-year-old Hull defender Jacob Greaves and the Coventry winger Callum O’Hare with the latter available on a free transfer.

O’Hare, who featured in Coventry’s dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup, has impressed the Irons and is expected to leave his current side. The ex-Aston Villa 25-year-old can play through the middle or on the left flank and has made over 130 league appearances for the Sky Blues since joining permanently in 2020. There has been plenty of transfer interest for the winger with Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers believed to have also sent scouts to watch the 25-year-old in action.

As for Greaves, the Tigers centre-back has been a key performer for the club in recent season and earned himself a place in the Championship Team of the Year. Everton had previously been claimed to be interested in the 23-year-old star but that interest now appears to be coming from the Toffees’ Premier League rivals. Greaves is currently on a deal that should see him remain with Hull until 2026, indicating the Championship side could gain a substantial fee if they lose their star man.