West Ham United have officially submitted their 25-man Premier League squad, but there’s one significant exclusion that fans have noticed.
In fact, the club has only named 22 players, leaving three spots vacant, which has raised questions about the future of certain individuals at the club.
Julen Lopetegui, who oversaw a significant overhaul during the summer transfer window, appears to be keeping his options open, perhaps for further reinforcements.
Despite spending the summer strengthening the squad, it seems there’s still room for improvement. Rumours have suggested that Lopetegui may yet dip into the free agent market to bring in an additional player.
However, many fans, including myself, doubt whether this will happen. Lopetegui seems more likely to focus on the upcoming January transfer window rather than making a hasty signing. It’s expected that the club will be active in the winter market as they seek to continue their rebuild.
That said, the current squad is already looking strong, and there are few gaps to fill. Now, the focus should be on offloading those players who have never quite made the grade at the club. It’s a task that could be challenging, but one that’s necessary if West Ham are to continue improving.
The 22-Man Squad
As for the squad that Lopetegui has selected, most of the usual suspects have been included. But the decision to leave three spaces open suggests that the Spaniard is not entirely satisfied with his options. It’s also notable that one player, in particular, has been left out: Luizao.
The 22-year-old Brazilian defender, who joined West Ham from Sao Paulo on a free transfer in January 2023, has yet to make a senior appearance for the club.
Despite reported interest in the player during both the winter and summer windows, West Ham turned down bids, seemingly because the club were demanding a higher fee than interested parties were willing to pay.
However, this does not necessarily mean that Lopetegui sees a future for Luizao at West Ham. It’s more likely that the club were simply holding out for a better deal.
With Luizao omitted from the Premier League squad, it’s clear that he is not in the manager’s immediate plans. The young defender is unlikely to break into the first team any time soon, and his exclusion suggests that the club may be looking to move him on sooner rather than later.
Luizao’s Future
It now seems a matter of when, not if, Luizao will leave West Ham. His failure to secure a spot in the Premier League squad, combined with his lack of first-team opportunities, suggests that his time at the London Stadium is drawing to a close.
It’s telling that Lopetegui didn’t even give the Brazilian a chance during pre-season, further indicating that he doesn’t see Luizao as part of his plans.
The problem is that with most major transfer windows now closed, Luizao’s options are limited. The Turkish window closed last night, and while there are still some markets open, such as the UAE (which closes on October 1st) and Mexico (which closes today), these might not be ideal destinations for the young defender.
It seems more likely that Luizao will see out the rest of the season playing under-21 football, with a permanent move away from the club expected either in January or next summer at the latest. While his time at West Ham may be short-lived, it appears his future lies elsewhere.