Player holds Tuesday exit talks after West Ham submit loan bid to sign him
West Ham, in out of the ordinary fashion, have actually been one of the busier Premier League sides so far this window as they look to try and salvage anything from this increasingly doomed season.
Their crushing 2-1 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night has left them even more stranded in the bottom three with Nuno Espírito Santo’s future looking very uncertain.
Nevertheless, it’s never over until the fat lady sings, and West Ham’s business so far this month suggests they’re desperate to rescue their campaign.
The first order of business was to complete a surprise double-striker deal for Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos, who arrived from Gil Vicente and Lazio respectively for a combined fee of around £47 million.
It remains to be seen whether the centre-forward duo will be enough to keep West Ham afloat with seven points now separating them from safety, but the Hammers apparently aren’t done there.
According to some insiders, West Ham also want to splash the cash on a centre-back, a winger and a new goalkeeper in addition to the two new strikers they’ve already brought in.
Between the sticks, only one name has dominated the headlines — Al-Nassr’s Bento.
The Brazilian, who’s made just one Saudi Pro League appearance all season, is firmly behind Saudi international keeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi in the pecking order.
This has alerted interested clubs to the prospect of tempting the 26-year-old away from the Middle East this month, and West Ham are chief among them.
Noble's a fan: West Ham now showing keen interest in "explosive midfielder"
The Hammers are looking to sign an “explosive midfielder”
ByDominic Lund
According to Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media sources, West Ham are currently in talks over a deal for Bento, and a bid has already been made for the ex-Athletico Paranese star.
Romano didn’t go into too much detail in regard to the ins and outs of this offer, but Sky Italia reporter Gianluca Di Marzio has lifted the lid on some key aspects of West Ham’s bid.
Bento holds Tuesday exit talks as West Ham submit loan bid
Di Marzio writes that West Ham’s offer for Bento is a loan-to-buy worth around £4 million, and Bento held exit talks with Al-Nassr yesterday underlining his desire to leave this month.
However, it is also believed that the Irons are by no means the only club in the race for his signature.
Di Marzio also reports that Genoa have made an identical offer for the South American, and as things stand, the keeper actually prefers a move to Serie A over the Premier League.
Subscribe for in-depth West Ham transfer coverage Joining the newsletter delivers deeper transfer context on moves like West Ham’s pursuit of Bento – thorough rumor vetting, tactical implications and expert transfer analysis to broaden your view when you subscribe.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Because of this, West Ham are currently behind Daniele De Rossi’s side in pursuit of Bento, who wants a switch to Italy to showcase his very best ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
His situation at Al-Nassr is very intriguing when you factor in how he was basically undroppable in his debut campaign.
Bento played all but one of Al-Nassr’s games in all competitions last season, starting a seismic 49 matches and featuring over 4,410 minutes.
Still pretty young in goalkeeping years, Bento left Brazil in 2024 with huge potential, but it now appears West Ham have a fight on their hands to sign the £102,000-per-week ace before deadline day.
Alongside Cresswell: West Ham seriously considering signing English star
The Hammers are desperate to strengthen their squad this month.
ByDominic Lund