West Ham transfer news today: Next star ‘expected’ to leave as Nuno Espirito Santo’s depth weakened

West Ham United midfielder Edson Alvarez is expected to leave the club as talks with Real Sociedad have started, the latest report has claimed.

The Hammers held Rangers to a goalless stalemate on July 26 in a pre-season friendly, with their next clash to come against Magdeburg on August 1.

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo will know the importance of preparing for the 2026-27 Championship season in the best possible manner given the gruelling nature of the 46-game competition.

However, the head coach has already lost key players like Mateus Fernandes ahead of the new campaign, though many fans and pundits expected that the club would lose a number of players considering they had suffered relegation from the Premier League last term.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that midfielder Alvarez is set to leave amidst club to club talks between the Hammers and La Liga side Real Sociedad, though Ajax are also working on a deal to sign the Mexican.

Edson Alvarez future: West Ham United's latest sale?

Alvarez did not play a single Premier League game last season as he was on loan at Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce for 2025-26, and his possible permanent departure this summer would be the Irons' 14th exit.

West Ham sold Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham Hotspur, though the £85m that they received represented a record sum for a player from the Championship.

The Portuguese midfielder was joined at the exit door by winger Crysencio Summerville, who was himself sold to Al-Hilal for a fee just shy of £60m.

While few Hammers supporters could complain about the value of either transfer fee, it is somewhat concerning that so many players have either been sold or released.

FW Verdict: No big loss for Nuno Espirito Santo and West Ham

Teams naturally must sell their talents when they are relegated to lower divisions, but while West Ham have sold a number of their better players already this window, it would be fair to suggest that Alvarez is far more replaceable than someone like Fernandes.

Whether fans can trust the club's owners to spend the money they have received in a wise fashion is another conversation, though Nuno Espirito Santo's side will not have to be perfect in order to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Though Alvarez has his uses as a defensive midfielder, selling the 28-year-old will – in isolation – not be a significant blow to the Irons' ambitions of returning to the top table of English football.