It is two-and-a-half weeks now since West Ham United reportedly agreed terms to bring a talented young central defender to the Premier League.
So, where is he?
Over the course of those 17 days, West Ham signed Callum Wilson after his release from Newcastle. The Hammers closed in on Leicester City’s Mads Hermansen, while Botafogo goalkeeper John Victor looks London Stadium-bound too.
There has been no sign whatsoever of Albian Hajdari, however.
That is despite a report from Fussball Transfers, on July 20th, claiming that West Ham United had moved one big step closer to signing FC Lugano’s Switzerland Under-21 international on a bargain deal.
FC Lugano defender Albian Hajdari during Switzerland v Luxembourg - International Friendly
Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images
Fussball Transfers stated that West Ham had a ‘verbal agreement’ with Albian Hajdari.
After catching the eye of Werder Bremen and 2024 Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, Graham Potter and Kyle Macaulay appeared to have hit the jackpot in pursuit of one of the best under-the-radar defensive talents in mainland Europe.
What’s more, with a £4.3 million release clause in his contract, Albian Hajdari was the sort of low-risk, high-reward signing fans have been clamouring for.
But 17 days later, was any suggestion of light at the end of the tunnel nothing more than a mere optical illusion.
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“What’s going on with Hajdari?,” Swiss publication BlueWin ask. A question the West Ham faithful would also like to be answered promptly.
“In July, rumours circulated that the 22-year-old had already reached an agreement with Premier League club West Ham. There was also talk of interest from Bremen. However, the transfer seems to have stalled, and things have been quiet around the defender recently.”
“Lugano wanted to make big money with Mattia Zanotti and Albian Hajdari,” add Blick. “It’s now early August, and the two are still on the payroll.”
No Nayef Aguerd sale could block Hajdari’s London Stadium switch
Now, that does not mean a long-mooted switch to West Ham can be ruled out at this stage.
Blick make the point that this is far from an ideal situation for Lugano either. The Swiss Super League outfit need to raise funds for new arrivals due to their Financial Fair Play pressures, and Hajdari is among the club’s most sellable assets.
Interestingly, Albian Hajdari has been left out by Lugano for both of their Super League fixtures at the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign. Clearly, head coach Mattia Croci-Torti still expects him to leave in the near future.
“Albian has always brought enormous quality to the build-up,” Croci-Torti said a few days ago of his ball-playing central defender. “In his absence, therefore, we will have to find equally effective solutions in terms of build-up play.
“If Hajdari leaves, these are things we will have to ask of the sporting director.”
Perhaps the lack of recent movement surrounding West Ham can be explained by the fact that Nayef Aguerd may now be here to stay.
Hajdari, a left-footer, may have been identified as a replacement for Aguerd. Since that Fussball Transfers report a fortnight-and-a-half ago, though, Roma appear to have moved away from Aguerd.
The Serie A giants reportedly offered £15 million earlier in the window. But, like Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille, Juventus and Real Sociedad – who had Aguerd on loan last term – Roma no longer seem quite so keen.
For now, unless there are some developments regarding Aguerd between now and September, FC Lugano may have no choice but to reintegrate Hajdari and accept that any planned sale will have to wait until 2026.