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West Ham United have already made plans to offload seven players this summer according to a leading Hammers reporter.
When West Ham announced club record £104m losses in their latest accounts, it very much suggested there would be a fire sale of players this summer.
West Ham’s owners made their stance clear on selling players to plug the financial black hole.
It is a black hole which could grow wider too after it was also revealed West Ham owe £196m to other clubs in transfer instalments.
Kilman on seven-man list of players West Ham will ship out
So it seems player sales are inevitable at the London Stadium, regardless of whether the Hammers remain in the Premier League or not.
Nuno Espirito Santo has led a marked turnaround since a home defeat to Forest at the start of the year.
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But there are clearly a host of players who have no future at the club no matter what happens come what May.
That’s according to The Athletic’s West Ham reporter Roshane Thomas.
West Ham’s £40m flop Max Kilman is chief among them, heading up a list of seven players the club are already planning to move this summer.
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Eyebrows were raised, in both east London and Wolverhampton, when the Hammers paid that princely sum for Kilman two summers ago.
At first, though, most West Ham supporters were relatively impressed with Kilman – with many feeling he should be given a chance in the England squad.
But fast forward to present day and Kilman has arguably never been further away from international honours – not least because he can’t even get anywhere near Nuno’s starting XI.
Kilman has been woeful this season and – as a confidence player – the pressure has clearly impacted his performances.
Areola and Wilson surprise names on West Ham summer exit list
It said everything about the defender’s standing at West Ham that assistant coach Paco Jemez berated Nuno for bringing Kilman on as a substitute in one match.
The fact Nuno then chose not to start Kilman when Jean-Clair Todibo was injured in the warm-up at Villa last time out, shows exactly where the centre-back is at right now.
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Kilman has a long contract at West Ham – until 2031 – so will be hard to shift.
But in a report revealing which players the Hammers look likely to sell this summer, Thomas stated it is unlikely the 28-year-old will feature again this season and that a summer departure is considered ‘best for all parties’.
Crystal Palace have been credited with an interest in Kilman.
In terms of value, Kilman heads up the list but Thomas has also named seven others who are set to be shown the door at the London Stadium.
It is claimed that Alphonse Areola could be moved on given he has lost the number one shirt and is one of West Ham’s higher earners on £120k per week.
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Thomas says a summer departure ‘would not come as a surprise’.
James Ward-Prowse – remember him – has, rather unsurprisingly, been named on the list too.
It is reported that Ward-Prowse, who is on loan at Burnley, ‘is expected to seal an exit this summer’.
Although if the Hammers drop and Nuno departs then a new manager may decide Ward-Prowse is worth keeping for the Championship.
West Ham are also planning to move Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez on after Nuno – according to Thomas – opted against recalling him from his season-long loan to Fenerbahce in January.
Hammers fans could be forgiven for forgetting that £17.5m flop Maxwel Cornet is still on the club’s books.
Finding a buyer for Cornet has proved impossible thus far.
But the report claims club sources have revealed West Ham plan to finally sell the Ivory Coast international this summer – presumably for whatever they can get for the winger, who has made just 10 appearances on loan at Italian side Genoa.
Callum Wilson was linked with a West Ham exit in January but remained at the club after the intervention of the owners, who felt he would be vital to the team’s chances of avoiding relegation.
Wilson was then reported to have signed a new one-year deal back in February.
But Thomas claims club sources have told him 34-year-old Wilson will be moved on too.
Another striker it is claimed is definitely heading out of the club – again – this summer is Niclas Fullkrug.
Fullkrug has flopped on loan at AC Milan having failed to adapt to the pace and power of the Premier League.
The £26m misfit has two years left on his Hammers deal, but Thomas says the club fully intends to sell him this summer with Milan unlikely to take up their paltry £5m option to buy, a £21m hit on the original investment.
It goes without saying that West Ham’s star performers will also attract plenty of interest in the summer, especially if the club is relegated.
Crysencio Summerville, Mateus Fernandes, Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf are some of the names who will likely have a long list of suitors.
So remaining in the Premier League will be vital to retain their services.
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