West Ham United look set to lose right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka after Aston Villa agreed terms to sign the 28-year-old defender, according to a report by BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella and Phil McNulty.
The DR Congo international will initially move on loan, with an obligation to buy attached that would make the deal permanent at the end of the current campaign. Wan-Bissaka has been given permission to travel for a medical in the Midlands, though the exact financial terms of the arrangement have not been disclosed. The BBC report notes that West Ham had previously sought a fee in the region of £25m from interested clubs, so the final structure of any obligation clause will be closely scrutinised once further details emerge.
A summer of significant exits at the club
Wan-Bissaka's expected departure is the latest in a string of high-profile exits from the Championship club. According to the BBC, West Ham have already sold Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham for a reported £85m and Crysencio Summerville for a reported £60m this summer. Captain Jarrod Bowen has, however, committed his future by signing a new contract.
The right-back had missed the club's opening two Championship matches of the season while transfer negotiations were ongoing, meaning his absence from the squad had already been felt in the early weeks of the campaign. Whether West Ham can reinvest in a replacement before the window closes will be a key question for supporters and manager Nuno Espirito Santo alike.
What it means for West Ham's season
Losing a senior, established full-back at this stage of the window is a concern for a club with promotion ambitions. Wan-Bissaka, who has previous top-flight experience with Manchester United and Crystal Palace, brought significant pedigree to the right-back position. His departure leaves a vacancy that the club's recruitment team will need to address promptly if West Ham are to sustain a challenge at the upper end of the second tier.
The timing adds further pressure to a window that has already seen the squad significantly reshaped. West Ham have brought in Joel Piroe, according to recent reports, but reinforcing the defensive unit now becomes a priority. The club's hierarchy will be aware that competing at the top of the Championship requires depth across the pitch, not just in attacking areas.
Structure and caveats
The loan-plus-obligation structure is a format increasingly used in cross-division transfers, giving the buying club flexibility while securing a guaranteed future fee for the seller. What remains unclear, per the BBC's report, is the precise buy-out figure and any additional clauses, such as performance-related add-ons or a sell-on percentage. Those details are understood to still be being finalised, and supporters should treat the headline fee figure of £25m as an asking price rather than a confirmed outcome.
West Ham will hope that the funds generated from Wan-Bissaka's sale, combined with earlier business this summer, give the manager the resources to bring in a like-for-like replacement swiftly. With the season already under way and the Championship table beginning to take shape, there is little margin for a prolonged search.
Frequently asked
- Why is Aaron Wan-Bissaka leaving West Ham?
- According to BBC Sport, Aston Villa have agreed a loan deal with an obligation to buy for the right-back, meaning Wan-Bissaka is set to move on permanently at the end of the season. He had already missed West Ham's first two Championship matches while negotiations were under way.
- How much are West Ham getting for Wan-Bissaka?
- The exact fee has not been confirmed. BBC Sport reports that West Ham had previously sought around £25m from interested clubs, but the precise terms of the obligation-to-buy clause have not yet been made public.
- Will West Ham sign a replacement right-back?
- No replacement has been announced at the time of writing. With Wan-Bissaka having already missed the opening fixtures of the Championship season, reinforcing the right-back position before the transfer window closes is expected to be a pressing priority for the club.