EPL side West Ham United must decide the player’s future
Former Hearts midfielder Andy Irving has an increasing number of clubs showing transfer interest as West Ham United prepare to decide his future. Teams in Scotland, Germany and Italy are keen on the 25-year-old, who is looking to play more regularly to improve his chances of making Scotland’s World Cup squad should they qualify for next summer’s finals.
Irving’s West Ham contract is due to expire at the end of the season. He enjoyed a strong pre-season with the London club after making an international debut in June’s friendly win in Liechtenstein. That came on the back of 11 appearances for The Hammers last year. Rangers are keen to take him to Ibrox, while Celtic continue to monitor him after a late approach to United at the end of last summer’s window.
German Bundesliga clubs Cologne, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Stuttgart have contacted West Ham directly to enquire about Irving’s availability. The Austrian champions Sturm Graz also made an approach about tempting him back to the country where he thrived at Austria Klagenfurt before joining West Ham. There is additional interest from Serie A, where Scotland players Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson, Ché Adams and Aaron Hickey have flourished in recent seeasons.
Both Rangers and Celtic intend to strengthen their squads before the transfer window closes and feel Irving could be a worthwhile addition. As a fluent German speaker, the player is also an attractive prospect for Bundesliga sides in both Germany and Austria.
He left formative club Hearts in 2020 for Türkgücü Munich in the German third tier, but moved on to Klagenfurt after Türkgücü suffered financial difficulties. He was sold to West Ham on transfer deadline day in September 2023 but remained on loan at Klagenfurt. After 14 goals and 12 assists in Austria’s top division, he made the permanent switch to England last summer.
EPL transfer situation in London as options emerge for Irving
West Ham sacked head coach Julen Lopetegui in January and replaced him with Graham Potter. He begins a first full season in charge this Saturday when United travel to newly-promoted Sunderland on the opening day of the Premier League. Irving scored in a pre-season friendly win over Swiss club Grasshoppers and also featured on the pre-season trip to the United States of America.
Eager to experience more regular football, Irving is not short of options should West Ham be willing to let him leave. Final discussions on that subject will determine the Edinburgh-born player’s future.
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