West Ham United have reportedly reached an agreement with Ligue 1 side Monaco to sign midfielder Soungoutou Magassa.
The Hammers have endured a disappointing start to the new season, with head coach Graham Potter already under pressure after losing his first two Premier League matches by an aggregate score of 8-1.
A 3-0 opening defeat at newly-promoted Sunderland was followed by a humbling 5-1 loss at home to Chelsea last Friday, and Potter allegedly may have just two more games to save his job.
West Ham’s poor start comes after making four new signings in the summer transfer window, bringing in El Hadji Malick Diouf and Mads Hermansen for a combined fee close to £40m, as well as Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson on free transfers.
Following the loan exit of Edson Alvarez to Fenerbahce last weekend, West Ham have been prioritising the addition of a new midfielder and have been credited with an interest in a host of players from across Europe.
Twenty-one-year-old Magassa has emerged as one of their leading targets and journalist Fabrizio Romano, as per Santi Aouna, claims that West Ham have now agreed a deal with Monaco worth an initial €17m (£14.7m) plus €3m (£2.6m) in add-ons, while a 10% sell-on clause has also been included.
Romano adds that West Ham are scheduling for Magassa to travel and undergo a medical, with the Hammers hopeful of finalising the deal before the September 1 deadline.
Monaco defender Soungoutou Magassa in August 2025.
Who is West Ham-bound midfielder Magassa?
Born in Stains in the northern suburbs of Paris, Magassa signed his first professional contract with Monaco in April 2021, three years after joining the club’s academy.
The versatile, ball-playing midfielder, who also has experience operating at centre-back, made his senior debut for Monaco in January 2022 and has since amassed a total of 57 first-team appearances in all competitions.
Magassa played 31 times for Monaco last season and scored his first and only senior goal to date in a Champions League group-stage defeat to Benfica in the first half of the campaign.
The 6ft 2in midfielder also helped Monaco finish third in Ligue 1 last season and qualify for the League Phase of the 2025-26 Champions League.
Capped seven times at France Under-21 level, Magassa became a silver medallist at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris where Les Bleus lost to Spain in the final.
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