Aaron Wan-Bissaka issues thinly veiled Man Utd dig after completing £15m West Ham transfer

After weeks of rumours and speculation, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is finally unveiled as West Ham’s latest recruit after signing a seven-year contract with the London Stadium club.

While West Ham have not confirmed the fee, the BBC reports that the former Manchester United defender was signed by the Hammers for £15 million.

Wan-Bissaka, 26, made 190 appearances for the Red Devils since joining from Crystal Palace in 2019. However, upon his exit he has offered a thinly masked dig at his former club, citing his excitement at working with a group that ‘has got each other’s backs through thick and thin.’

Signing for the Red Devils for a fee worth £50m, Wan-Bissaka was a regular starter under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. However, after Erik ten Hag’s arrival in 2022, the former England youth star dropped down the pecking order and the defender appears now not to be holding back on calling out the apparent lack of support within the Old Trafford dressing room.

Speaking to the West Ham website on his confirmation as Julen Lopetegui’s latest defensive addition, the London-born defender said: “It was a no brainer for me to join West Ham - I’m excited and happy to be here. I can’t wait to get on the pitch, get to know the players, and push on from there.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be back in London, and I’m excited for what’s coming. I was born here, so I know the ins and outs of London, which plays a big part in my life, so to be back playing in this city means a lot to me. I see a team that is in it together, that will push each other to win, and a group that has got each other’s backs through thick and thin, so being part of that and having that insurance helps a lot when you are surrounded by a good squad.”

Adding to Wan-Bissaka’s comments, the club’s technical director Tim Steidten said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to get the deal to sign Aaron over the line. He’s exactly the type of player we’re looking to attract to this club in the prime years of his career. He’s an incredibly talented defender who we rate very highly - superbly in one-on-one situations. He’s versatile too, which is clearly another positive.”

Wan-Bissaka is now West Ham’s seventh signing of the summer with Lopetegui having also brought in Jean-Clair Todibo, Crycensio Summerville, Luis Guilherme, Niclas Fullkrug, Max Kilman and Guido Rodriguez as he looks to significantly boost the Irons’ defensive department ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The ex-Red Devil’s first match as an Iron could well come this Saturday as the Hammers take on Aston Villa in their first Premier League clash of the new season.