West Ham United have verbally agreed a deal to sign Wout Faes on a three-year contract, a move that underlines how urgently Nuno Espirito Santo wants more stability at the back.
With only two points from their opening three Championship fixtures, West Ham have not had the start they wanted. They have also looked suspect defensively at times, and the need for another centre-back has become harder to ignore.
Sacha Tavolieri posted on X on Tuesday morning that West Ham are set to complete the signing of the Leicester City defender, and the latest step in the process was the overnight agreement between the two clubs.
Why West Ham are moving for another centre-back
The timing makes sense. West Ham have already had to rely on an 18-year-old at centre-back, with Airidas Golambeckis starting against Watford at the weekend. That is a sign of both opportunity and risk, especially in a side trying to find its footing early in the season.
Faes brings experience, even if his recent spell at the King Power Stadium has been difficult. The 28-year-old has had a couple of disappointing seasons following back-to-back relegations, but West Ham are clearly betting that a fresh start can help restore some of the reliability he has shown before.
A deadline-day push to settle the defence
West Ham’s own recent transfer business shows the scale of the issue. Morato joined Nottingham Forest in a £15m deal in 2024, and the fact that he is part of the wider conversation around centre-back movement underlines how active this market has become.
For West Ham, though, the question is simpler. They need a defence that can cope better with the demands ahead, and Faes gives them another senior option who can compete for a place immediately.
Whether the deal is finally completed before the 11pm deadline or not, the direction of travel is clear. West Ham want more experience, more competition, and more certainty in a back line that has already looked vulnerable.
