Nuno stopped West Ham from signing Senegalese centre-back and now Leeds want him | OneFootball

West Ham United came close to signing Senegalese defender Arouna Sangante in the final week of the winter transfer window, TEAMtalk can reveal, before a late change in direction from head coach Nuno halted the move, with Leeds United now taking a shine to him.

Sources have confirmed to us that talks progressed to an advanced stage for Sangante, who has been one of Ligue 1’s standout young defenders this season while playing for Le Havre. The West Ham hierarchy were keen to push the deal over the line for the highly‑rated 23-year-old Senegalese centre-back and viewed Sangante as a long-term investment with significant upside.

However, despite the club’s strong interest, West Ham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is understood to have preferred a more experienced Premier League‑ready option.

That stance ultimately led West Ham to pivot toward Axel Disasi, who arrived on loan from Chelsea on transfer deadline day.

West Ham’s interest, though, is not expected to fade, and sources suggest that the Hammers could revisit the move in the summer of 2026, although competition for his signature is only set to intensify.

We understand that the 23-year-old Le Havre defender continues to attract growing attention, despite Nuno blocking a move to West Ham for now.

Sources have told us that Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion and Leeds United are among a cluster of Premier League clubs tracking the Le Havre captain, with scouts impressed by his composure, leadership and athletic profile.

Several European sides have also been monitoring Sangante’s situation closely.

Born in Dakar, Sangante moved to France as a teenager and joined Le Havre at 16 after developing at Paris-based Red Star.

Sangante’s rapid rise since then has made him one of the most coveted young defenders in Ligue 1.

The defender has made a total of 137 appearances for the Le Havre first team so far in his career, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in the process.

Latest West Ham and Leeds transfer news

West Ham also missed out on the signing of a former Manchester United midfielder, who joined Wolves instead in the winter transfer window.

And finally, Leeds have three major targets in mind for the summer of 2026, as the Whites decided not to challenge Crystal Palace for striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.