10 Days Left: The Premier League Loan Market West Ham Should Be Working
The summer transfer window closes on September 1, which leaves West Ham exactly ten days from today to finish shaping Nuno Espírito Santo's squad for the Championship promotion push. And the pattern of the club's business this window is now unmistakable. With Presnel Mukasa and Joel Piroe both arriving on loan deals in the past week, West Ham are clearly leaning on the loan market rather than the permanent one to add depth, a strategy that only makes sense once you look at the finances behind it.
As GSH reported on August 11, Nils Koppen has been working with a transfer budget in the region of £40 million this summer. A modest figure by Premier League standards, even relegated ones, especially set against the club's outgoings. With both of West Ham's headline permanent targets falling through, like Axel Disasi choosing Crystal Palace over a return to East London, and Troy Parrott opting for Real Betis, there should now be enough breathing room in that budget for a couple more ambitious additions. But while Koppen figures out his next big move, he’ll still need to fill out the roster and going back to the loan market is how he might just do that, provided the focus stays on exactly the kind of low-cost, low-risk loans. With ten days out, here are ten Premier League names who fit that profile.
Reiss Nelson (Arsenal)
Already being tracked by West Ham according to recent reporting, Nelson is a proven Premier League performer who's spent each of the last two seasons out on loan, first at Fulham, then at Brentford. Nearly 200 senior appearances of experience and genuine end product make him exactly the sort of ready-made squad depth a promotion-chasing side needs on the flank. It's been reported that Arsenal are trying to force West Ham’s hand by making the move permanent, but it wouldn’t be unreasonable to work out a loan with an option to buy as the window comes to a close.
Simon Adingra (Sunderland)
Also on West Ham's radar, Adingra fell out of the picture at Brighton before a move to Sunderland, and has spent the back half of last season out at Monaco. Surplus to requirements again this summer, his pace and directness in wide areas would give Nuno a different kind of attacking option than what's already in the building. Bringing in Manor Solomon was a solid move for The Championship, but while he immediately went into the starting eleven, his injury history means the squad needs reinforcements. West Ham were coming in for him earlier in the transfer window, but an ankle injury in training stalled it. His targeted return is mid-September, which means the squad can make do until then.
Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea)
An unconventional name, but a genuinely interesting one. Mudryk was cleared to return to football after his doping suspension was resolved in July, but hasn't played a competitive match since November 2024. Chelsea's squad is packed in attack, so a loan to somewhere Mudryk can rebuild match sharpness and confidence away from Stamford Bridge's spotlight is plausible. His talent, when it was last on regular display, was never really in doubt. Mudryk has been rumored to be on a loan move to various European clubs, but West Ham could use a versatile forward player who can play from the left or center.
Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)
Elliott's season-long loan at Aston Villa was close to a disaster. He barely played, accumulating a meager 280 minutes across the whole campaign. No back at Liverpool with his path to regular first-team football unclear under new manager Andoni Iraola. A move that guarantees him actual minutes, even a division down, would be a sensible reset for a player still only in his early twenties with plenty of Premier League pedigree already banked. West Ham were in for him last season before with former manager Graham Potter keen to get him in, but the deal collapsed, and a loan to Aston Villa with an option to buy was made.
James McAtee (Nottingham Forest)
McAtee's situation is a little different from the others here since he moved to Forest permanently from Manchester City last summer rather than being out on loan. Nuno was all for a deal for McAtee, but after his dismissal the newly acquired midfielder played under 300 Premier League minutes last season, which suggests he's someone Forest might be open to loaning out for regular football, and his creativity as an attacking midfielder is exactly the kind of profile Nuno could be looking for again. While bringing in Mukasa makes sense, McAtee can provide a little more experience and someone Nuno is comfortable with.
Jonah Kusi-Asare (Fulham)
A towering, technically gifted young striker who made his permanent move to Fulham from Bayern Munich this summer after an encouraging loan spell. At 18, regular first-team Championship football would do more for his development than fighting for scraps of Premier League minutes, and his size and finishing instincts profile as a useful long-term punt up front. West Ham have been rumored to be in for free agent Jamie Vardy, but at 39 a move for a much younger option makes sense.
Josh Acheampong (Chelsea)
The most ambitious name on this list. Acheampong is highly rated internally at Chelsea and has fielded interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs, but limited Premier League starts under Enzo Maresca last season mean regular football is still the priority for his development. Chelsea have previously said his future is "firmly" at the club, so this would be a straight loan. A versatile right-sided defender getting Championship minutes would be a smart, low-cost addition if West Ham can convince Chelsea it's the right environment for him.
Zach Abbott (Nottingham Forest)
With Forest heavily backed by foundational center-backs like Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic, Abbott is completely blocked from the first team. A loan move to a demanding Championship environment is viewed as the natural next step for his development. Forest are actively looking to send Abbott to a top Championship club where he can get guaranteed, regular minutes to develop. Abbott is a composed, right-footed defender who naturally excels as a right-sided center-back. However, he is also highly mobile, nimble, and versatile enough to play as a right-back. In a grueling Championship campaign,
Caleb Wiley (Chelsea)
Known for his exceptional pace, dynamic overlapping runs, and crossing ability, the 21-year-old American fullback possesses the exact modern athletic profile that can thrive under a demanding Premier League system. At West Ham, Wiley would provide valuable, low-risk tactical flexibility; his experience playing both as a traditional left-back and a highly progressive wing-back allows him to easily fit into multi-defender formations or act as an energetic substitute to stretch tired opponents. With El Hadji Malick Diouf’s future in doubt and needing a left-back option in case Ollie Scarles can’t secure his position, Wiley coming in on a loan with an option to buy should West Ham get promoted would be someone who can spend a year in the 2nd tier and be ready to play real minutes at the Premier League level next season.
Ben Davies (Tottenham)
Ben Davies represents a low-risk, versatile loan option. He offers crucial tactical flexibility across the left side of the defense and extensive Premier League experience. A temporary arrangement provides the club with reliable squad depth and leadership without requiring a long-term financial commitment. While he may still be a squad option for Roberto DeZerbi, the veteran may be looking for a more permanent solution for his future.
If you are wondering why 3 options from Chelsea, its because the London club have a huge surplus of players and are desperately seeking options to tighten up their dressing room. The shape of the list says something real about where West Ham's business is likely headed over the next ten days: proven or promising Premier League players who've fallen down the pecking order at their parent clubs, brought in on loan to add depth without touching much of the remaining budget. It's not the marquee business fans were hoping for after missing out on Disasi and Parrott, but with £40 million never designed to stretch to statement signings in the first place, smart loans may end up being the more realistic route to strengthening Nuno's squad before the window shuts.
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