John Egan is reportedly seeking a £30,000 per week contract to sign for West Ham as a free agent, according to Sean Whetstone.
Whetstone, the former editor of Six Foot Two, reported on 5 September via X that the ex-Sheffield United defender’s wage demands are expected to align with what he was earning at Bramall Lane.
Egan, represented by agent Will Salthouse, is being considered by West Ham to bolster Julen Lopetegui’s central defensive options, following the loan departures of Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd.
Earlier on 5 September, Whetstone revealed that the Republic of Ireland international had participated in a behind-closed-doors friendly for the club. In his post, Whetstone wrote:
“John Egan’s wage demands are likely to be similar to what he was earning when he left Sheffield United which was £30,000 per week, he is likely to ask for squad number 12, the number he had at the Blades for many years, he is classed as home-grown player, and his agent is said to be Will Salthouse.”
West Ham’s search for defensive reinforcements post-transfer window had reportedly focused on bigger names, with interest in ex-Borussia Dortmund stalwart and World Cup winner Mats Hummels being noted [Whetstone, 3 September].
Talks had also been held with Liverpool’s Champions League-winning centre-back Joel Matip [Standard, 2 September].
Among these three names, Egan is arguably the least glamorous option. He is coming off the back of a season where he struggled with injury, missing almost the entirety of Sheffield United’s relegation campaign from the Premier League.
The decision to move on from Zouma and Aguerd at the end of the transfer window may raise eyebrows, but from a financial perspective, replacing two highly-paid senior players with a more affordable alternative in a back-up role appears pragmatic.
Zouma was reportedly earning £125,000-a-week [Daily Mail], while Aguerd’s salary was thought to be £90,000-a-week [Guardian, 26 August]. Such figures are unsustainable for players potentially serving as fourth-choice centre-backs.
With new signings Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo expected to command most of the game time under Lopetegui, and Konstantinos Mavropanos likely the next in line, Egan would be a cost-effective emergency option.
Should the club finalise a deal, Lopetegui will likely hope that Egan’s services are not required too often. However, given West Ham’s recent history of defensive injury crises, it’s never out of the question.