West Ham’s transfer window closed with its usual blend of excitement and chaos — a new face arrived, a couple of players departed, and a few near-misses kept fans on edge.
The only confirmed arrival was Igor Julio from Brighton, the 27-year-old Brazilian centre-back joining on a season-long loan. Graham Potter praised his Premier League know-how, saying he brings experience and quality to a defence desperately needing reinforcement.
Departures included Nayef Aguerd, who completed a permanent move to Marseille to reunite with former teammate Emerson Palmieri, and Maxwel Cornet, who returned to Genoa on loan for a second spell.
Both moves went through smoothly, but another exit almost happened — that of West Ham’s “fantastic” midfielder, Guido Rodríguez.
Rodríguez Rejects Saudi Arabia Switch
West Ham United's Guido Rodriguez. (REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)
West Ham United’s Guido Rodriguez. (REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)
According to Claret & Hugh, West Ham were very close to offloading Rodríguez on deadline day — only for the deal to collapse at the final hurdle.
Sources close to the club revealed: “We got West Ham a deal for Guido Rodríguez. It would have been €8 million per year NET for the player.”
However, Rodríguez’s agent blocked the move, holding out for a bigger offer and banking on interest from Mexico — which never materialised. The result? Rodríguez remains at the London Stadium, one of the club’s highest earners at just over £100,000 per week.
The 31-year-old, once described as a “defensive monster,” has failed to live up to that reputation at West Ham. His form has been inconsistent, and he has often been a liability rather than a linchpin in midfield.
Despite the chance to cash in with a lucrative Saudi Arabia deal, Rodríguez has chosen to stay — leaving West Ham with a player they were actively trying to move and raising questions about his long-term role.
With the arrivals of Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa, West Ham’s engine room has already been strengthened, making Rodríguez increasingly surplus to requirements. What could have been a pragmatic exit instead turned into another headache for Potter and his coaching staff.