West Ham United have bolstered their defensive ranks with the signing of Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Manchester United on a seven-year contract. The right-back joins the Hammers for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £15 million.
"It was a no-brainer for me to join West Ham - I'm excited and happy to be here," expressed Wan-Bissaka, who was born and raised in London. "It's an amazing feeling to be back in London, and I'm excited for what's coming. I was born here, so I know the ins and outs of London, which plays a big part in my life, so to be back playing in this city means a lot to me."
The 26-year-old, known for his strong tackling and pace, is West Ham's eighth summer signing, demonstrating their ambition to improve upon their ninth-place finish last season. "I am delighted we've been able to get the deal to sign Aaron over the line," stated West Ham technical director Tim Steidten. "He's exactly the type of player we're looking to attract to this club in the prime years of his career."
Steidten highlighted Wan-Bissaka's talent and experience: "He's an incredibly talented defender who we rate very highly - superb in one-on-one situations. He's versatile too, which is clearly another positive. He's played over 170 Premier League games during his career - he knows the division inside-out."
Wan-Bissaka, who joined Manchester United in 2019 from Crystal Palace, made 190 appearances for the Red Devils, winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup during his time at Old Trafford. He is set to be replaced by Noussair Mazraoui, who is nearing a move from Bayern Munich after undergoing a medical. Manchester United agreed a £17.2 million deal with Bayern for the Moroccan international, a transfer fee comprising £12.9 million plus performance-related add-ons.
West Ham are also closing in on a deal for Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt, who has also completed a medical.
"I'm happy to be here, am grateful for the warm welcome, and I am excited to be playing for the club and will give it my all," Wan-Bissaka added. "I can't wait to get on the pitch, get to know the players, and push on from there. I see a team that is in it together, that will push each other to win, and a group that has got each other's backs through thick and thin, so being part of that and having that insurance helps a lot when you are surrounded by a good squad."
West Ham's Summer Signings:
Luis Guilherme (Palmeiras, £25m)
Max Kilman (Wolves, £40m)
Wes Foderingham (Sheffield United, free)
Crysencio Summerville (Leeds, undisclosed)
Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund, £27.5m)
Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis, free)
Jean-Clair Todibo (Nice, loan)
West Ham's 2024/25 Premier League Opening Fixtures:
August:
12th: Aston Villa (h) - Live on Sky Sports, kick-off 5.30pm
24th: Crystal Palace (a) - kick-off 3pm
31st: Manchester City (h) - Live on Sky Sports, kick-off 5.30pm
September:
14th: Fulham (a) - kick-off 3pm
21st: Chelsea (h) - kick-off 12.30pm
28th: Brentford (a) - kick-off 3pm
With Wan-Bissaka's arrival and other summer additions, West Ham are aiming to make a strong start to the new season under their new manager Julen Lopetegui. The club's first match, against Aston Villa at the London Stadium, will be a significant test of their ambition for the upcoming campaign.