For just about 2 years, West Ham have been linked with a move for Charlie Cresswell, the 23-year-old England U21 international centre-back currently plying his trade at Ligue 1 side Toulouse. Despite repeated attempts—particularly during the summer 2025 window and again in the January 2026 transfer period—a move to the London Stadium has failed to materialize. Recent reports indicate that Cresswell himself appears reluctant to join the Hammers, contributing to the deal's ongoing difficulties.
Cresswell, a former Leeds United academy product, moved to Toulouse in the summer of 2024 for around £3.8 million. He has since established himself as a key player in France, gaining valuable regular first-team experience and impressing with his leadership qualities and performances. The defender has also been part of England's successful U21 European Championship-winning squads in 2023 and 2025.
West Ham's defensive struggles have been well-documented, with the team conceding heavily in the 2025/26 Premier League season (often two or more goals in multiple matches) and sitting in a precarious position near the relegation zone. Cresswell has been viewed as an ideal target: young, English-qualified, physically strong, and capable of providing aerial presence and composure at the back. Reports from outlets like The Athletic, Hammers News, and TEAMtalk have repeatedly positioned him as a "top target" or priority for manager Nuno Espírito Santo and the club's recruitment team. In fact, since his arrival, Max Hahn, who currently heads up player recruitment, has always had Cresswell as one of his top targets.
Interest dates back to at least the summer of 2024. In the summer of 2025, West Ham reportedly made approaches—including a loan-to-buy offer and a £13 million permanent bid—that was rejected by Toulouse, who valued him higher (around £17 million at the time). Despite this, links persisted into December 2025 and January 2026, with the club said to be in regular contact.
While the club have continued to make inquiries to Toulhouse, one issue has remained. The player himself and his agent have never made contact with West Ham. Several attempts to work out wages to put West Ham in better position to make the transfer have never materialized.
Why the Move Has Stalled—and Why Cresswell Seems Unwilling
Multiple sources point to a combination of factors blocking the transfer, but player reluctance has emerged as a significant element. Here are 5 reasons why Cresswell won't be coming to West Ham.
- Club-level difficulties — Negotiations with Toulouse have proven tricky. The French club values Cresswell at around €20-25 million (£17-22 million), and while bids from other clubs (like Wolfsburg's €18-20 million offers) have been rejected or fallen short, West Ham have struggled to agree terms or push forward decisively. Some reports describe "difficulties" or "struggling to get a deal over the line," with West Ham exploring alternatives like Bright Arrey-Mbi or Ethan Pinnock.
- Timing and hesitation from West Ham — The club has been criticized for not acting more aggressively earlier. In the summer, lowball offers reportedly soured relations, and in January, focus shifted toward attacking reinforcements (e.g., strikers) despite the glaring defensive needs. This perceived mismanagement has frustrated fans, who see Cresswell as a bargain missed. The lowball offer of 13 million pounds with addons was an attempt despite Toulouse never telling West Ham what they wanted and ignoring the fact that the player never opened dialogue.
- Cresswell's perspective — Perhaps the most telling aspect is Cresswell's own stance. After the summer 2025 window, he publicly stated he "didn't need any convincing to stay" at Toulouse, highlighting his satisfaction with the club, his development, and his lifestyle in France. More recent insights suggest he has shown little enthusiasm for a January switch to West Ham specifically. One key reason appears to be the risky context at West Ham: the team is battling relegation (with high odds of dropping to the Championship), and joining would mean stepping into a high-pressure, potentially short-term environment. Staying at Toulouse offers stability, regular minutes in Ligue 1, and a platform to build toward a bigger move—possibly to a more secure Premier League club or elsewhere in Europe (e.g., Bundesliga interest from Wolfsburg). Reports explicitly note that Cresswell "doesn't want to come to West Ham," with suggestions his representatives have been unwilling to engage seriously on personal terms or wages.
- Agency Tactics –– Sources also say leaks of West Ham's interest have come from Cresswell's agent Hayden Evans, who has used the team to create interest from other Premier League teams and other top teams. Evans believes waiting until summer of 2026 will see better results and more lucrative offers.
- Cresswell's father –– Richard Cresswell, a former striker who had stints at Preston North End, Leeds, Stoke City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Leicester City, respectively, has been a big influence on his son's career. Richard Cresswell has told his son to maintain his status at Toulhouse and be patient until a better offer presents itself. Whether in the summer or in this current January transfer period, Richard has told friends he believes a move to West Ham would be temporary and to his son's detriment.
In short, Cresswell seems content thriving abroad and unwilling to risk a move to a side in turmoil, especially when other opportunities may arise in the summer or from clubs in stronger positions.
What This Means Moving Forward
As of mid-January 2026, West Ham continues to monitor Cresswell's situation "in the background," per Sky Sports News, but the window is closing, and competition (including concrete talks from Wolfsburg) has intensified. The Hammers have pivoted to other targets, and fans have expressed frustration over missed opportunities. Rumors included West Ham's lowball offer turning the player and the team off. Another rumor among fans was that since the club have brought in Nuno's agent Jorge Mendes to lead recruitment for January, Mendes doesn't want to bring in anyone that is not in his stable of talent.
It is admirable how fans have really fallen in love with the idea of Cresswell. However, for Cresswell, avoiding a West Ham switch preserves his upward trajectory. A step up to a more stable top-flight club remains likely eventually, but the Premier League's current bottom-half battle doesn't align with his ambitions right now. Why would a player leave a team playing more meaningful games for a team hoping they can climb out of the basement?
West Ham's defensive woes persist, but Cresswell's reluctance underscores a broader challenge: attracting talent to a club in crisis requires more than interest—it demands stability, ambition, and decisive action. West Ham's ability to recruit has been hindered not only by their place in the standings but also by all the dysfunction that always seems to be following the team at any time.