West Ham can find Aaron Wan-Bissaka 2.0 at Blackburn Rovers | OneFootball

West Ham United should look to sign Blackburn Rovers' Ryan Alebiosu this summer if Aaron Wan-Bissaka joins Sunderland

West Ham United are in for an incredibly busy summer, and with Nuno Espirito Santo looking likely to remain at the helm despite relegation from the Premier League, the Portuguese head coach will know exactly what he needs to get out of the Championship at the first time of asking.

Indeed, a disappointing season ended in the most gut-wrenching of circumstances for West Ham, who, after 14 years in the Premier League, will be playing second-tier football once again next season.

It's a calamitous situation the Irons find themselves in, who may well have to sell up to £100 million worth of talent this summer to offset the loss of Premier League money.

The likes of Mateus Fernandes, Jarrod Bowen, El Hadji Malick Diouf, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are just some names that have been linked away, with the latter set to represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the World Cup over the next few weeks.

Wan-Bissaka has been the club's first-choice right-back and right wing-back over the course of the campaign ahead of Kyle Walker-Peters, and the former Manchester United defender has since attracted interest from Sunderland this summer.

Should Wan-Bissaka indeed leave this summer, West Ham should look to move for a Nigerian international currently already playing in the Championship, who could absolutely thrive playing under Nuno.

West Ham United should consider a move for Blackburn Rovers' Ryan Alebiosu this summer amid Aaron Wan-Bissaka's Sunderland links

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Nuno has already exhibited his capability of getting teams promoted from the Championship, having done so in his one and only season in the second tier to date with Wolverhampton Wanderers back in 2018.

At Molineux, Nuno was afforded the talents of the likes of Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, Willy Boly, and Matt Doherty, the latter of whom thrived as a wing-back under the Portuguese boss.

Whether Nuno will be planning on playing a system with wing-backs in the second tier once again next season remains to be seen, though, having done so with West Ham up until their relegation, he may look to stick with where he has previously found success.

Blackburn Rovers' Ryan Alebiosu could therefore be a perfect option for the Irons to replace Wan-Bissaka at wing-back, with the Nigerian international enjoying an excellent year at Ewood Park despite difficult circumstances.

Alebiosu, 24, joined Blackburn from Belgian side KV Kortrijk for roughly £500k after a solid loan spell in Scotland with St Mirren during the second half of the 2024/25 season, and has since taken his game to the next level in Lancashire.

Despite his large frame, Alebiosu is hyper-athletic, capable of bombing up and down the right flank to great effect, adept in both defence and going forward, having scored once and grabbed five assists in 39 Championship appearances during his first year with Blackburn.

His performances earned him a call-up to the Nigerian national side for AFCON, where he made his international debut in December, and he has since seen interest from the likes of Everton and Wolfsburg, whilst Italian side Genoa saw a €5 million (£4.3 million) bid rejected in January.

It's unclear at this stage as to how much Blackburn would command for his services, but he will almost certainly be in West Ham's price range, and if Nuno is looking for a replacement for Wan-Bissaka this summer, Alebiosu is tailor-made for that role, and could be an excellent pick-up for the Irons, who will be looking to ensure their time in the second tier is as short-lived as possible.

Nuno Espirito Santo should be looking to sign the Championship's best this summer, following relegation, as Ryan Alebiosu should be a high priority

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With West Ham likely needing to sell before they can sign this summer, what their squad will look like on the opening day of next season cannot be at all predicted.

Should they raise the necessary funds, the Irons must look to prioritise the very best players in the Championship that won't break the bank, with Alebiosu being the perfect example.

Still only 24, the Nigerian has ample time to continue to improve his game, and having thrived in an underwhelming Blackburn team, it would appear as though he is already ready to take his game to the next level.

Not only is he more than capable of playing a crucial role for West Ham in the Championship, but he also has the potential to become a solid Premier League player as his career develops, as Nuno must view Alebiosu as a priority in the event of Wan-Bissaka's departure this summer.