West Ham United have reached an agreement with Monaco for the permanent transfer of French defensive midfielder Soungoutou Magassa this summer, according to Santi Aouna.
At only 21 years of age, Magassa has already established himself as a consistent figure for Monaco since breaking into the side in 2022. The French youngster featured 21 times in Ligue 1 last season, and his presence could provide added strength in midfield for Potter.
During the recent clash with Chelsea—a game that ended in a 5-1 defeat at home—Graham Potter opted for a midfield pairing of James Ward-Prowse and Tomas Soucek.
In the second half, Soucek was replaced by academy product Freddie Potts, underlining the limited alternatives available to the manager in central areas.
A physical profile like Magassa to add adequate reinforcement in the middle of the park before the transfer window closes would be essential, especially when they’ll be facing teams with physicality like Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace in September.
According to Aouna, West Ham have agreed a deal with Monaco for the permanent transfer of Magassa to the London Stadium this summer.
The French transfer expert adds that the agreement was reached for the midfielder’s transfer for a £17m fee including add-ons, with the France international also agreeing to make the move to join the East London outfit.
Depth
Following a dreadful opening to the Premier League season, where they lost their first two fixtures and currently occupy the bottom position, West Ham are searching for fresh recruits to reinforce Potter’s squad.
The London club have already let in eight goals while finding the net only once, leaving their situation highly concerning.
With under a week remaining before the closure of the summer transfer market, the Hammers must move quickly to secure reinforcements; otherwise, they risk being pulled into a relegation fight this season.
After Edson Alvarez’s departure last week, bringing in another midfielder is a key priority for Potter in the coming days.
Although several midfielders have been linked, Magassa stands out as the most logical option — not only because he represents a cut-price alternative to other targets, but also due to his ability to immediately enhance the team’s off-ball structure while serving as a valuable long-term asset for the club.
