West Ham have been given the green light to sign Graham Potter’s top target to replace Konstantinos Mavropanos – but it requires cooperation from rivals Chelsea.
West Ham will need Chelsea to play ball if they are to get a crucial summer window off to a sensational start.
The Hammers face a major rebuild and despite the reservations of some fans, ex Chelsea boss Graham Potter is going to be the man to do it.
With the help of head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay, who David Sullivan paid Chelsea £1.2m to reunite with Potter, West Ham are looking to drastically transform their ageing squad.
West Ham get green light to sign Mavropanos replacement
Potter has been forced to use 35-year-old left-back Aaron Cresswell as a centre-half of late.
That has been a damning indictment on big Greek centre-back Konstantinos Mavropanos, who looks certain to be sold by the Hammers this summer.
Chelsea are also planning big changes at the back if reports are to be believed.
And one of them is reportedly giving the Hammers a great chance of landing their top target.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
The Irons have been linked with the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Adam Webster for the third centre-back role alongside Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman.
Now West Ham have been given the green light to sign their Mavropanos replacement after the Champions League final – but Chelsea must play ball.
The Blues are gearing up to try and emulate West Ham’s achievement of winning the UEFA Conference League next week.
But Potter’s mind will be on the Champions League final according to reports out of France.
Inter will sell Bisseck to West Ham but Chelsea must play ball
Because Inter Milan have agreed to sell Yann Bisseck to the Hammers after UEFA’s showpiece final on May 31st.
A bumper summer transfer window opens the next day – on June 1st.
And impressive 24-year-old German international Bisseck could be among West Ham’s first signings of the Potter overhaul.
All West Ham need, it is claimed, is for Chelsea to agree to sell Benoit Badiashile to Inter Milan as the replacement.
Bisseck has been a key player for Inter on their charge to win Serie A and the Champions League.
Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
Chelsea must green light deal to enable Hammers to sign Bisseck
That all comes down to seven intense days from this weekend.
Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna will be a name well known to West Ham fans who follow the transfer window.
He was the first to reveal the Hammers were signing Nayef Aguerd, Lucas Paqueta and Carlos Soler.
That speaks to Aouna’s connections in Badiashile’s homeland France.
The reporter claims his sources have told him West Ham are back in for Bisseck after making a bid last year.
“Inter are reportedly willing to sell the player if they receive a convincing offer,” Aouna said.
“Benoit Badiashile is one of the main names on the shortlist of Inter Milan.”
🚨🔵⚫️🇩🇪 #SerieA |
❗️Understand West Ham United are interested in Yann Bisseck
➡️ Inter Milan are ready to sell offer their Dutch CB in case of good proposal in the summer
⭐️ Benoît Badiashile is one of the main names on the shortlist of Inter Milan
W @DahbiaHattabi… pic.twitter.com/ggqEAiMQe9
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) May 20, 2025
View Tweet
Ironically Badiashile is a former West Ham target Chelsea actually beat them to when they signed him from Monaco.
Todibo, Kilman and Bisseck would transform West Ham
Inter getting the go-ahead from Chelsea shouldn’t be a problem given outcast Badiashile has featured in just five Premier League games this season having barely played in his first two campaigns at Stamford Bridge either.
The player himself would surely be open to such a move, given Inter’s stature and the fact they are currently competing for the top honours in the game.
At West Ham both Todibo and Kilman have both impressed individually. But the jury is still out on them as a partnership.
Mavropanos will be on his way out if the Hammers receive any offers over £8m.
Slotting a powerful, pacy, dominant and aggressive centre-back like Bisseck alongside Todibo and Kilman could completely change everything for Potter next season.
Now it’s over to Chelsea.