West Ham star axed from squad against Tottenham with transfer exit imminent

West Ham midfielder Andy Irving has been left out of the matchday squad to take on Tottenham Hotspur in North London as transfer speculation over a potential exit continues.

The 25-year-old has only played a bit part this season but did make the squad to take on QPR in the FA Cup last weekend. Irving wasn’t handed any minutes as the Hammers picked up a 2-1 victory in extra time.

That was the first time since December 20 that Irving had been named in the squad by Nuno but the midfielder has once again been excluded at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Irving has only been handed 157 minutes in the Premier League, the last appearance coming against Manchester United at the start of December.

West Ham midfielder set for transfer exit

It’s expected that Irving will complete a transfer to Sparta Prague ahead of his contract at the London Stadium expiring at the end of the campaign. Speaking ahead of the window, Sparta sporting director Tomas Rosicky had said: "We had a plan to bring in another midfielder. Santiago Eneme was out for a fairly significant period, which made it even more difficult. But we are satisfied with the pair of Kairinen and Mannsverk and the development of Patrik Vydra. Vydras can alternate in the hybrid position of a defender. But yes, we still need one more body."

ISport claims that Irving is that man with ‘all indications’ pointing to the Scotland international. The player is reported to have flown to Prague over the weekend to complete the transfer.

Irving signed for West Ham from Austrian Bundesliga side Klagenfurt in 2023 for a reported £1.5 million but was loaned back to the side for a season. The midfielder has only ever made 18 appearances for West Ham, seven of those coming this term.

Andy Irving on fight for minutes at London Stadium

The player opened up about his fight for game time at West Ham in September. He told the club website: “The time that I've spent with everyone on and off the pitch has been fantastic, and their experience has been invaluable. Being able to watch them, learn from them, train with them, play with them and ultimately take things from their game has made me a better player without a doubt, and I've definitely learnt a lot from it, and it has pushed me.

"It can be tough [not starting games], and I think there are periods that you go through when it can be difficult. Every day you're going out to training with the focus on the weekend. You're working towards the game, and everyone wants to play.

“So it can be tough when you're maybe not getting the number of starts you desire, but I always believe that things can take time. I'm in my second year now, so I feel a lot more comfortable, and I've got a bit more of a stand within the squad and within the environment, so I think that helps.

“Of course it can be difficult mentally, but your focus has to be on what you can control, which is by working hard and training well every day, and every time you get on the pitch, whether it's for ten minutes, 30 minutes or starting, you can only give your best.”

In other news, 'Enquiry Made': West Ham target Chelsea legend almost signed by Slaven Bilic.