West Ham’s defensive struggles have been one of the defining issues of their season so far.
The Hammers have conceded more goals than any other Premier League side and have looked disorganised at the back under Nuno Espírito Santo.
Following the summer sale of Nayef Aguerd to Marseille — a move that, while not catastrophic, still left a significant gap in the squad — the club are now reportedly on the lookout for a new long-term defensive leader.
And it appears they may have identified their man.
West Ham Scouting Cresswell
England's Charlie Cresswell. (REUTERS/David W Cerny)
England’s Charlie Cresswell. (REUTERS/David W Cerny)
According to a new report from TBR Football, West Ham are among a host of Premier League clubs scouting Charlie Cresswell, the English centre-back currently impressing in Ligue 1 with Toulouse.
TBR claims Cresswell could be available for around £15 million, a fee that would represent solid value for money in the current market.
The report adds that nearly half of the Premier League have watched him in action since the summer, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Everton, Brentford, Brighton, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and West Ham all keeping tabs.
Cresswell, who was once highly rated at Leeds United, made only 14 senior appearances before being sold for £2.5 million. Leeds United presenter Joe Wainman previously described him as “genuinely class” and “unbelievable” — high praise that’s proving well-founded following his rapid rise in France.
Since joining Toulouse, the 23-year-old has featured 41 times in all competitions, scoring four goals this season alone. He also played key roles in England’s 2023 and 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship triumphs.
Young, confident on the ball, and already experienced both domestically and abroad, Cresswell could represent exactly the kind of smart, long-term signing West Ham need to shore up their leaky defence.