The 5 biggest names that could join West Ham in summer 2025 transfer window | OneFootball

West Ham have suffered through another dismal Premier League season, and with European football so far out of reach, the Hammers have to start taking stock of their transfer strategy. Last summer, West Ham brought in a number of players, but less than half of them are good enough to be integral to the squad in the coming seasons.

It's time for West Ham to be more selective with their recruitment strategy. For those fans dreaming of the best players possible, here are the five biggest names the Hammers could conceivably add to their ranks in summer 2025.

Atalanta FW Ademola Lookman

We begin with Ademola Lookman, who has been arguably the best player in Serie A this season and is at the forefront of a legitimate title charge from Atalanta.

So why would a perennial Champions League contender be willing to sell their biggest talent? Well, for starters, Lookman has been publicly criticized by Gian Piero Gasperini, who has a history of falling out with his star players (see: Gomez, Papu).

Furthermore, Atalanta don't have a perfect track record of keeping their stars against approaches from wealthier clubs, as they just lost Teun Koopmeiners to Juventus last summer. Atalanta are loaded in the attack with Charles De Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui as starting-caliber strikers, so Lookman could be seen as expendable by Gasperini.

Nice FW Evan Guessand

Evan Guessand has been one of the biggest breakout stars in European football this season, overshadowed by 1) Omar Marmoush and 2) the fact that most people don't give a lick about the French top flight.

The new Nice superstar has been nearly automatic in front of goal this season with 11 goals, and he's also an even more electrifying creator than Lookman with 7 assists and nearly 4 combined dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game.

West Ham could use a dynamic attacking midfielder or striker, and Guessand, at 23, has shown that he can play both roles at a high level. He is the least well-known name on this list, but he'd still be a pretty big splash, given he's been the best player in the league outside of PSG this season.

Lille ST Jonathan David

Jonathan David has become close to a household name in European football, to the point where it's surprising that he didn't get a big move to LaLiga or the Premier League sooner. But it looks like he and his agent wanted all the wage and bonuses money for themselves, so he will be leaving Champions League side Lille as a free agent this summer.

The Canadian international isn't a likely target for West Ham due to all the interest in his signature from powerhouse clubs in European football like Barcelona, but David is still very much a possible target. And while he will command massive wages, the 25-year-old is an affordable target almost by definition as a free agent.

David has a proven track record as a 15-goal striker in a top-five European league, and that is much more than can be said about the players West Ham currently have at their disposal at the 9.

Lyon AM Rayan Cherki

Easily the most gifted player on this list, Rayan Cherki is one of the biggest stars in Ligue 1 and was tabbed for superstardom from an early age in the Lyon academy. He was getting starts as a 16-year-old, but Lyon wisely eased along his progression to manage his minutes and expectations.

Lyon also didn't let him go to a club like Real Madrid a few years ago, instead choosing to allow the Frenchman to grow into his own with less pressure. The result is a gifted player who creates chance with as much volume as any playmaker in Ligue 1 and hasn't lost that something special with the ball at his feet in tight areas in and around the penalty area.

West Ham will have to be careful with a playmaker like Cherki who doesn't run or defend much, but even those aspects of his game have slowly improved. Cherki is a difference-maker and the kind of game-changer who rarely moves, but with surprisingly little mainstream hype, he could be a transfer steal.

Eintracht Frankfurt ST Hugo Ekitike

The big boys have figured Hugo Ekitike out, as Omar Marmoush's breakout and subsequent transfer to Manchester City have placed more eyeballs on the former Reims gem - and PSG "flop".

Ekitike benefited greatly from getting regular minutes in Frankfurt and teaming up with Marmoush, as opposed to being stuffed on the bench in Paris. He is one of the slickest all-around strikers in Europe with great finishing tops, deceptive acceleration, solid aerial skills, and decent chance creation.

West Ham can plug and play Ekitike as a starter, and while he would cost a pretty penny, the young Frankfurt marksman would be very much worth every cent. The difference between Ekitike and Niclas Fullkrug is a stark one.