Football League World
·28 June 2024
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·28 June 2024
Two of Wes Foderingham's former Sheffield United team-mates have reacted to his move to West Ham United.
Former Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has joined Premier League side West Ham United after his release by the club.
Foderingham joined the Blades from Rangers in July 2020, and he was a key player for the club during his four-year spell at Bramall Lane, making 112 appearances in all competitions.
The 33-year-old was part of the squad that won promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, but he also suffered some difficult moments in his time with United, including two relegations from the top flight.
Foderingham began last season as the Blades' number one goalkeeper, and although he was dropped for January signing Ivo Grbic in February, he regained his place towards the end of the campaign.
He was one of a number of senior players to be released by the club this summer as Chris Wilder rebuilds his squad for the Championship, along with Jordan Amissah, George Baldock, Max Lowe, Chris Basham and Oliver Norwood, but he has not been without a club for long.
Foderingham has signed a two-year deal at the London Stadium, and he becomes new Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui's second summer signing after the arrival of winger Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras.
After his move to West Ham was confirmed, Foderingham took to social media to share his excitement about joining the London club.
"Delighted to sign for this great club! Thank you for all the messages. Let's go!" Foderingham wrote on Instagram.
Foderingham received many messages wishing him well with the Hammers, and among those to congratulate him were a number of his former Blades team-mates, including strikers Dan Jebbison and Oli McBurnie.
Jebbison made his debut for United during Foderingham's first season at the club, and he simply commented: "Amazing."
With their futures currently uncertain, it remains to be seen whether both Jebbison and McBurnie will be following Foderingham out of the exit door at Bramall Lane this summer.
Jebbison missed much of last season through illness, but he made his return as a substitute on the final day of the campaign, and according to HITC, he is attracting interest from Leeds United, Everton, Brighton & Hove Albion, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Monaco.
McBurnie has scored 29 goals in 159 games for United since joining the club in 2019, but his contract is set to expire this summer, and while he has been offered a new deal on reduced terms, discussions over an extension have stalled as the Blades wait for their takeover by a US-based consortium to be completed.
The takeover situation is making it tough for Wilder to bring in new signings and tie existing players down to new deals, and United are set to lose out-of-contract midfielder Ben Osborn to Derby County, despite being keen to keep him.
After suffering relegation from the Premier League with the Blades last season, Foderingham will be delighted that he has earned a move back to the top flight.
The 104 goals United conceded last season was the most of any team in Premier League history, and Foderingham came in for criticism for his performances at times, but he was a safe pair of hands for much of his spell at Bramall Lane.
It remains to be seen whether Foderingham will receive much game time at West Ham with competition for places from Alphonse Areola and Lukasz Fabianski, but there is no doubt he is a solid third choice option for the Hammers.
A new era is underway at the London Stadium following the appointment of Lopetegui, and with West Ham likely to be ambitious in the transfer market this summer, it could be an exciting time for Foderingham to join the club.