West Ham’s summer rebuild is already facing obstacles, with fresh reporting from Claret & Hugh raising questions about the club’s “sell to buy” strategy.
It is argued that this approach may be hurting their chances of securing fair value for players, as clubs like Juventus begin circling with cut-price offers.
GIVEMESPORT reports that Juventus are hoping to take advantage of West Ham’s public stance on needing to sell before they can start spending. This openness about financial limitations seems to have encouraged bids well below the club’s valuations, adding to concerns that this strategy is backfiring.
Juventus Eye Aguerd for Cut-Price Fee
One of the clearest examples is the situation around Nayef Aguerd. The Moroccan centre-back is on Juventus’s radar, and according to Claret & Hugh, the Italian side are unlikely to offer more than €15 million (£12.8m). That figure falls far short of West Ham’s expectations.
With European clubs clued in to West Ham’s financial position, there’s a real worry that the Hammers will either have to accept cut-rate deals or hang on to players who are half out the door.
As Claret & Hugh puts it, West Ham are trying to sell in a market where “everyone knows they’re desperate for cash.”
Knock-On Effect Across the Squad
Aguerd isn’t the only Hammer attracting attention. The same report names Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus, Tomas Soucek, and Edson Alvarez as possible exits.
However, Claret & Hugh points out that “offers are conspicuous by their absence.” Transfer interest is quiet, and it seems like potential buyers are biding their time or only getting involved if the terms favour them.
According to their analysis, the strategy (tagged as “straight out of the David Sullivan playbook”) may have been aimed at keeping a lid on spending pressure. Instead, it’s arguably led to a cornered position where West Ham can’t sell high nor buy freely, making them easy marks in the market.
There’s still plenty of time left in the window, so things can shift. But based on Claret & Hugh’s reporting, the Hammers may need to rethink their approach quickly before more value quietly walks out the door.
