Mateus Fernandes headlines 11 players who might never feature for West Ham again

Hammers News have confirmed that Nuno – only the third coach to suffer relegation with West Ham United in the Premier League era – will be replaced. Former Upton Park favourite Scott Parker is an early frontrunner, having secured promotion three times already with Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley respectively.

Relegation confirmed – where do West Ham go from here?

In terms of the playing staff, Jarrod Bowen raised hopes when indicating – in the immediate aftermath of relegation – that a summer departure is far from guaranteed. Tomas Soucek is determined to right the wrongs of 2025/26, too, while a crop of talented youngsters from Ezra Mayers to Mohamadou Kante, Lewis Orford to Ollie Scarles could benefit from a campaign spent in the second tier.

But there are also numerous first-teamers who – whether it be their prohibitive wages, their contract situation, or because they are simply too good for the Championship – might never don the claret and blue jersey in a competitive setting again.

Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville will surely leave

Short but sweet is likely to be the most fitting description of Mateus Fernandes’ fleeting West Ham career. According to The Athletic, Fernandes will be sold with Manchester United pursuing him intensely.

The Telegraph, meanwhile, report that several top Premier League clubs are weighing up a move for Summerville. Liverpool and Chelsea are among the winger’s long-time admirers.

The Championship would represent a massive step backwards for both players. West Ham are suffering from ‘massive’ financial concerns – a source told Hammers News this month – with the sales of their most high-profile performers both inevitable and necessary.

Which brings us onto…

El Hadji Malick Diouf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Dinos Mavropanos will have offers

His performances may have dipped quite alarmingly after the Africa Cup of Nations, but El Hadji Malick Diouf still finds himself on Man United’s shopping list. Young, inconsistent and occasionally infuriating, but Diouf possesses many of the attributes elite clubs look for in a full-back.

Another club offering Champions League football, Borussia Dortmund are keen on Dinos Mavropanos. Despite a poor campaign, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has enough top-flight pedigree to earn himself a Premier League reprieve, while one suspects Jean-Clair Todibo will not be rushing to sample the delights of Lincoln or Bolton.

According to Italian reporter Marco Mampreso, Taty Castellanos has little interest in dropping down a division either. With six goals in 17 starts since his January move from Lazio, the Argentine will emerge from the wreckage of relegation with his reputation enhanced on UK soil.

Axel Disasi, so impressive on loan from Chelsea, will now return to Stamford Bridge ahead of a fresh start elsewhere.

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Hammers face numerous contract dilemmas

Alphonse Areola could be on his way after losing the number one jersey to Mads Hermansen. The France international has one year left on his contract, while the club will surely be keen to get his £120,000-a-week pay packet off the wage bill.

Callum Wilson will become a free-agent in July, though whoever takes Nuno’s place may be keen to keep an experienced, still-reliable goalscorer in the building.

Adama Traore is another who joined the Hammers on a short-term contract. A contract which is also due to expire in five weeks’ time.

Given the close ties between Traore and Nuno, the departure of the latter will surely see the former follow him out the door. With no league starts and just 116 minutes of top-flight action, the former Wolves speedster will go down as one of the most forgettable signings of recent times.