Andrea Cambiaso, Douglas. (REUTERS/Massimo Pinca)
West Ham United are preparing for a major rebuild after a season to forget.
The 2024/25 campaign started poorly under Julen Lopetegui, and things didn’t improve much under Graham Potter, who was brought in mid-season to steady the ship.
Despite the disappointing results, Potter has been entrusted with leading the club into the new season — but he faces a significant challenge.
West Ham have already lost star man Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham, while veterans Aaron Cresswell, Kurt Zouma, Vladimír Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski, and Danny Ings have all departed as free agents.
So far, only one signing has been confirmed: Jean-Clair Todibo, who made his loan move from OGC Nice permanent.
But with major holes in the squad and expectations mounting, West Ham’s transfer window could be about to kick into high gear.
West Ham Open Talks for Luiz
According to a new report from Gazzetta dello Sport, West Ham have opened negotiations with Juventus over the signing of Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz.
Luiz joined Juve from Aston Villa last summer but has struggled to find consistency or regular minutes in Serie A, playing just 516 minutes across 19 league appearances.
West Ham are now looking to bring him back to the Premier League, and discussions are underway with Juventus over a potential deal. The Italian giants have reportedly set a £35 million price tag, but are open to negotiation regarding the structure of the transfer.
West Ham’s current proposal involves an initial £8.6 million loan, with an obligation to buy for £26 million next summer, provided certain conditions are met.
Luiz began his career in Brazil before joining Manchester City in 2017. Due to work permit issues, he never made a competitive appearance for City and was later sold to Villa in a move that frustrated manager Pep Guardiola.
“We wanted him because in the last season we had a problem in that position because we didn’t buy a holding midfielder in the last three or four seasons,” Guardiola said at the time.
He added: “He played in the pre-season last season in the United States, and he was really good. I think he has the quality to play with us but he could not do that.”
Several years — and clubs — later, Luiz now has the opportunity to return to the Premier League. Not in sky blue, but in claret.
A move is far from final, but if West Ham get this deal done, it could be a major step in rebuilding their midfield core.
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