West Ham United

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West Ham duo Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez were in international action at the weekend as preparations for the World Cup heat up.

Soucek played 62 minutes for Czech Republic in a 3-1 win over Guatemala, while Alvarez came on at half-time in Mexico's 5-1 victory against Serbia.

The pair will face each other at the tournament with Czech Republic and Mexico drawn in the same group together, along with South Africa and South Korea.

Hammers defenders Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf will also be at the World Cup with DR Congo and Senegal respectively, as will Netherlands winger Crysencio Summerville.

Here is a reminder of the groups West Ham's players are in and who they will face, so you can keep an eye out for them once the competition begins on 11 June:

• Tomas Soucek, Czech Republic - Group A: Mexico, South Africa and South Korea

• Edson Alvarez, Mexico - Group A: South Africa, South Korea and Czech Republic

• Crysencio Summerville, Netherlands - Group F: Japan, Sweden and Tunisia

• El Hadji Malick Diouf, Senegal - Group I: France, Iraq and Norway

• Aaron Wan-Bissaka, DR Congo - Group K: Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia

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Actor, West Ham fan and captain Jarrod Bowen's father-in-law Danny Dyer says he is "still processing" the Hammers' relegation from the Premier League.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, he said: "I'm still processing it all, it hurts. I'm very close to it.

"Three years ago we won the Conference League, he [Bowen] scored the winner, and three years later we're relegated.

"They've broken my heart most of my life like that."

He continued: "We've had a lovely three years but the thing about us is we're one of those clubs where we're never going to go to the next level because whenever we get a good player, they leave us.

"They go to a bigger club and that's always going to be the case for us."

Bowen's future remains uncertain, while the 29-year-old also missed out on selection for Thomas Tuchel's squad for the upcoming World Cup.

"I know he wants to stay but I've got no answers about that at all," Dyer added.

"He's devastated by it [relegation]. I can't tell you how much he takes it to heart."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

With all 48 World Cup squads now confirmed, we look at how they shape up and compare with each other leading into the tournament.

Which clubs have the most players?

Looking just at the 20 clubs that made up the 2025-26 Premier League, only this season's top three have more players at the World Cup than Conference League winners Crystal Palace (12).

Including players out on loan over the season, Sunderland remarkably have as many representatives on the global stage as Chelsea and Liverpool (11), showing just how globe-trotting their recruitment was following promotion last summer.

The majority of Brentford, Everton and Leeds' squads can put their feet up and recharge their batteries for next season, with those clubs sending just four players each.

• Get more key stats on participation

AC Milan have emerged as serious contenders to sign Crysencio Summerville from West Ham, with the winger also attracting interest from Tottenham and Aston Villa. (Teamtalk), external

West Ham are monitoring Celtic centre-forward Callum Osmand but the Scottish champions are unlikely to part with the 20-year-old. (TransferFeed), external

The Hammers have also made an initial enquiry about Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, 23, as they prepare for next season in the Championship. (Ben Jacobs on X), external

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Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, 21, has been cleared to leave West Ham after contact from Manchester United and Arsenal, while Liverpool and Paris St-Germain are also monitoring developments. (Teamtalk), external

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Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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West Ham head of recruitment Max Hahn is leaving the club following their relegation to the Championship.

The process for the exit of Hahn, whose official title is head of technical recruitment and analysis, is under way and will be confirmed in due course.

It is understood the club are looking for a replacement with a deep knowledge of the Championship as they plot an instant return to the Premier League.

The new recruit is likely to have a wider remit and powerbase than Hahn at the London Stadium club.

Hahn joined the club in 2024 to work under then technical director Tim Steidten.

Steidten's departure in 2025 lead to Hahn's seniority increasing at West Ham but he is now poised to leave in the coming days.

West Ham striker Niclas Fullkrug wants to leave after their relegation, with Bundesliga side Werder Bremen among those interested. (Sky, in German), external

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We asked for your views on the announcement that Nuno Espirito Santo will lead West Ham United in the Championship next season.

How do you feel about the head coach staying on in his role? Would you have preferred someone else to take over?

Here are some of your thoughts:

Noa: I'm honestly delighted. He has done so much for us already and I believe he could be the man to bring us straight back up. It's a shame he wasn't in this position at the start of this season, instead of being stuck with directionless Graham Potter, but maybe he is the foundational piece needed for the rebuild.

Helen: I have two thoughts on this. 1) A win rate of 27% is still quite poor and most managers would have got the boot. He had long enough at the club to avoid the damage from the early weeks. 2) Continuing to play Lucas Paqueta, especially after the red card, was unforgivable. But he could get promotion if he can keep enough of our star players. Forced sales because of finances would mean he loses my vote of confidence, so the board need to back him with money too!

Chris: He was why we went down! It was due to him playing full-backs on the wrong side, persisting with five at the back, getting Pablo into the team - the list is endless. I'm gutted, I wanted a fresh start.

Leigh: This is a good decision from the club, if Nuno gets full backing. The names being banded about were certainly not upgrades. He is a solid manager with a proven track record. I also think it shows that the power may be shifting from David Sullivan. I liked the statement released and I think Karim Virani has already done more for the fans than Karren Brady.

Michael: How can you keep a manager that plays Pablo, on zero goals, one assist and not much else, in the last game of the season? He also brought on Mohamadou Kante, a supposed future star, who has contributed zilch. Both players are not even Championship players. Get Scott Parker.

Gavin: After relegation being confirmed on Sunday, I felt a change was absolutely needed, especially given some of the questionable tactics Nuno employed this season. However, the fact the club have confirmed he is staying so quickly, and with the amount of change necessary this summer, I now feel stability and continuity is required. Hopefully Nuno (and Paco Jemez) will bring that. Keep Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Callum Wilson, and I think we'll be OK!

Mark: Thumbs up for Nuno, but bring in Mark Noble as his assistant.

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Nuno Espirito Santo will stay on as West Ham manager to lead their fight to get back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

The Portuguese met with the club's senior management on Monday, in the wake of their relegation from the top flight.

Although both parties could have severed ties without compensation, they decided to stick together in the hope that Nuno will repeat his 2018 promotion campaign with Wolves.

"We are pleased to confirm he has expressed his continued commitment to the club - as we have to him," the club wrote in an open letter.

"Nuno made it very clear that he is highly motivated for the challenge of guiding West Ham United back to the top flight at the first time of asking. That must be the unquestionable goal for next season."

West Ham's statement accepts the club "cannot shy away from the fact our season has not been good enough", having been relegated to the second tier for the first time since 2012.

Club sources estimate it will cost them £200m in lost revenue which means, after a hefty loss of more than £100m in their latest accounts and more losses expected, player sales from a squad including much coveted stars like Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes are inevitable.

Nuno's promotion drive at Wolves was led by Ruben Neves and loan signings, including Diogo Jota. It remains to be seen whether he will have the same calibre of players this time around.

How do you feel about Nuno staying? Is he the right person for the job? Or would you have preferred someone else to lead the promotion charge?

Let us know your thoughts here

Read the full article

Holly Turbutt
Fan contributor

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Season score out of 10 and overriding emotion?

A disappointing 2/10, with relegation making it impossible to give anything higher. I would have given it 1/10, but I've offered an extra point because we had an upturn in form after January that reminded us why we love football.

Best moment and why?

It has to be our 4-0 win at home over Wolves. Taty Castellanos and Konstantinos Mavropanos both scored twice to pull us out of the relegation zone - it was a moment when we came back from having no faith to having a fighting chance.

Player of the season and why?

Mateus Fernandes. We went from having a completely uninspiring midfield that couldn't link up play, to having one that could compete at Premier League level. Fernandes really turned things around for us in this area - always looking to play the ball forwards and break through the lines.

Unsung hero and why?

Tomas Soucek. He always works hard, never complains and remains faithful to West Ham, even when times have been tough. He's one that you know you can rely on - even in the most challenging battles - to set an example and put everything on the line.

Biggest disappointment?

The way West Ham threw away points this season. There were so many opportunities for us to pick up points, but we conceded late so many times. Ultimately, these are the moments that relegated us.

What needs to change this summer?

The way we do business because we've reached a point where the lack of clear direction has cost us the ultimate price. We need to invest wisely, find our identity again, establish better communication with fans and build a team - with everyone working towards the same goal of getting us back into the Premier League.

Major hope for next season?

To get back into the Premier League. If West Ham don't get promotion, I can see our financial struggles making it very difficult to get back up any time soon. I'm keeping the faith. COYI!

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We asked for your views on which players West Ham need to keep on their books in 2026-27, as the club looks to bounce back from top-flight relegation.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Helen: We need to keep Jarrod Bowen and Taty Castellanos for the goals, plus Axel Disasi and Konstantinos Mavropanos for our defence. I would love to keep Mateus Fernandes for a longer term, but I think we need to cash in on him. A midfield of Tomas Soucek and Freddie Potts should be good for the Championship.

Hugh: West Ham need to retain Crysencio Summerville and Bowen to give them any goal-scoring ability and chance to bounce back to the Premier League. The attack is so lacklustre without them.

James: The harsh reality of relegation means the club aren't in an overly strong negotiation position as other teams will know they need to sell. Should they decide to cash in on Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes etc, those players should command decent fees. The hard part is going to be moving on players who have made minimal impact, such as Max Kilman. On the flip side, the players who failed to shine in the Premier League may do so in the Championship, in what is hopefully a brief stay.

John: Before we think about which players should stay or go, we need to ensure the chairman goes as soon as possible. The club's management team was assembled by him, and we can be sure money will be the dominant influence on who stays or goes. The club need to put right the total financial mismanagement over the past three years. I hope Jarrod Bowen stays and receives assurances that the team will be built around him.

Graham: I couldn't agree more with every word Jarrod Bowen said - the team were simply not good enough. Undoubtedly the boardroom and merry-go-round of head coaches hasn't helped - but these are well paid professionals who, frankly, should do better. The ones I'd like to stay at the club - Bowen, Mavropanos, Castellanos, Fernandes, Callum Wilson and Disasi - will undoubtedly be sold to balance the books, meaning we'll be left with the dismal remainder (many of whom bear the largest responsibility for our relegation). Let's hope there's some great up-and-coming stars in the academy on which to build a brighter future.

Arthur: Tell Jarrod Bowen we want to build the team around him, and pay him whatever is necessary.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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I hate ending the season on a downer, but we need to consider which club has had the most awful campaign, considering their resources and history.

It can't be Burnley or Wolves; they are with all due respect 'yo-yo' clubs. Spurs can obviously try to claim the booby prize not only for abject performances but a lack of spirit for large parts of the campaign.

West Ham take the official prize as they have been relegated, but the post-Christmas reawakening under Nuno means that there will be great hope they can bounce straight back up.

Though the manager will get some abuse from a section of angry fans, their ire should be and generally has been aimed higher up in the West Ham food chain.

For pure underperformance at vast expense with some incredible talent available, Newcastle get a shout but Chelsea must also be well in the frame for the wooden spoon. Tenth in the league is beyond the pale with the one possible hope remaining.

Hopefully Xabi Alonso might be a Chelsea manager at last allowed to do his job without constant controlling by a group that have got rid of a host of top football people.

They have done this with a total lack of the ability, or personal insight, to see where the real problem lay all along.

The rest of my column has a new home – on the BBC Sport website.

‌Click through as I decide who is the manager of the season, whether we should ditch in-game guards of honour and I say goodbye to Pep Guardiola

Watch former Premier League winger Andros Townsend discuss who is to blame for West Ham's relegation from the Premier League.

"For West Ham it has been a slow decline," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"Clubs like Brighton, Bournemouth and Brentford have a clear structure and plan from the top.

"If a manager leaves they have a manager to come in and not change everything. At West Ham there is no real plan at the top. You go from David Moyes to Julen Lopetegui to Graham Potter and back to Nuno.

"You're going from different styles but keeping the same players. They have spent the money but they are just spending and doing things without any plans.

"That's why we've seen West Ham drop into the Championship, not because of the manager or the players."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

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Captain Jarrod Bowen says West Ham fans deserve an apology after the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League.

On Bowen's Instagram, the 29-year-old said: "It's hard to post something like this when all you're feeling is embarrassment and pain.

"I could write loads trying to explain where it all went wrong this season, but honestly what you deserve from me is an apology."

The England international was appointed as the club captain ahead of the 2024-25 season and was part of West Ham's side to win the Conference League in 2023, ending a 43-year wait for a major trophy.

"Winning that trophy in Prague was the best night of my career. Sunday was the worst," he wrote.

"We just weren't good enough. Simple as that. And that's why the season ended the way it did."

Hammers fans have protested for boardroom changes throughout the 2025-26 campaign, with some fan protests occurring in the London Stadium.

Bowen added: "To the fans, you didn't let us down once. The support home and away never changed, even when things weren't good enough from us on the pitch. We should have given you more. You deserved more."

The east London club have had 14 consecutive seasons in the Premier League since their promotion with Sam Allardyce as boss in 2012.

West Ham signed Bowen from then Championship side Hull City in 2020. He gained his first England cap from Sir Gareth Southgate in 2022 but the forward has missed out on selection for Thomas Tuchel's squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

"One thing I know about this club is that it has the desire and fight to bounce back from this. This club belongs in the Premier League and deserves to be back there as soon as possible," said Bowen.

As Bowen's future is in the balance, who do you think West Ham need to keep next season to bounce back from relegation - let us know your views by using this form

Watch the panel on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discuss who could takeover at West Ham should Nuno Espirito Santo depart following relegation.

"If West Ham are winning a lot in the Championship then most fans won't care particularly about the style of play," said The Observer's Rory Smith.

"My worry for West Ham is if they appoint a manager to get them out of the Championship but you're not sure if they can establish you in the Premier League.

"Scott Parker is a good example of this. Are you not just locking yourself into another short-term cycle?

"The club's that really struggle in the Premier League are the ones who don't think at least a bit long-term."

"I think Scott Parker should be a no-brainer for West Ham," added former Premier League winger Andros Townsend.

"Not only does he have the knowledge to get clubs out of the Championship but he is a club legend and someone the fans love. He will get bums on seats and then it's down to performances to keep them there. It could be a massive coup for West Ham to get someone like Scott Parker."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

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Now the curtain has come down on the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, here is my end-of-season review - with a look back to what I predicted in August.

Prediction: 13th

It was such disappointment for a fiercely loyal set of fans to watch this season fizzle away to relegation. The soulless bowl that is London Stadium, so unpopular with fans after their beloved, atmospheric Upton Park, will now play host to Championship football.

Graham Potter was sacked in September after only eight months and, while Nuno Espirito Santo occasionally suggested he could take West Ham clear of relegation, they were simply not good enough.

This may not be an instant return for a club in need of a fresh start.

What I said in August: "I'm not really expecting fireworks in east London this season."

Check out the rest of my review here

Scott Parker, who recently left Burnley, and Strasbourg's Gary O'Neil are of interest to West Ham if they part company with boss Nuno Espirito Santo this summer. (Guardian), external

Meanwhile, Roma are keen on West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville as they gear up for the Champions League next term. (La Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

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