West Ham Target Manchester United Midfielder as Potential Departures Loom
West Ham United are exploring a January move for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, with sources close to London Stadium indicating the Scotland international has emerged as a priority target for Julen Lopetegui as the club braces for a potentially disruptive winter exodus.
The Hammers’ interest in McTominay is not new—West Ham made a £30 million bid for the 28-year-old in the final days of the 2023 summer window—but circumstances have shifted dramatically on both sides of the North-West London divide. At Old Trafford, new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth are conducting a ruthless squad audit. Players deemed surplus to Ruben Amorim’s evolving 3-4-3 system are being made available, and McTominay, despite his cult status among United fans, is one of several senior professionals who could be moved on to raise funds and free up wages.
For West Ham, the pursuit is driven by necessity rather than opportunism. The expected departure of captain Jarrod Bowen—now in advanced talks with Liverpool over a £65-70 million switch—would remove not only the club’s talisman but also a significant portion of its goal and assist output. Mohammed Kudus is attracting firm interest from Saudi Pro League clubs willing to trigger his £85 million release clause, while veteran midfielder James Ward-Prowse has asked to explore options back on the south coast, with Southampton and Brighton both monitoring the situation.
Lopetegui, who arrived in east London with a reputation for building technically disciplined midfields during his time at Sevilla and Wolves, sees McTominay as the ideal blend of Premier League experience, physicality, and late-arriving goal threat. Last season the Scot scored ten goals in all competitions despite starting only 18 league games, a return that would have made him West Ham’s second-highest scorer behind Bowen.
Technical director Tim Steidten has already held preliminary discussions with McTominay’s representatives, gauging willingness for a move across the Premier League. The player himself is understood to be torn. A boyhood United supporter who graduated from the club’s academy in 2017, McTominay has repeatedly spoken of his desire to fight for his place. Yet the arrival of Manuel Ugarte, the expected January pursuit of another central midfielder, and Amorim’s preference for a double pivot of Mainoo-Ugarte/Casmero have pushed him down the pecking order. Regular football ahead of the 2026 World Cup is now a priority for Steve Clarke’s Scotland side.
Financially, the deal is complicated but not impossible. United value McTominay in the £35-40 million bracket, a figure West Ham would struggle to reach without outgoing sales. The potential combined income from Bowen (£65-70m) and Kudus (£85m) would however give the club rare firepower in the winter market. Co-chairman David Sullivan is reluctant to sanction both exits in the same window, but Lopetegui has been promised one “statement” midfield signing if significant funds are generated.
McTominay would not arrive alone. West Ham are also tracking Corinthians’ 20-year-old defensive midfielder Breno Bidon as a long-term Edson Álvarez successor and have rekindled interest in Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka, who worked successfully with Lopetegui’s assistant Borja González at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Yet McTominay is the clear first-choice target: a proven Premier League operator, home-grown for squad registration purposes, and capable of playing both the No. 6 and box-crashing No. 8 roles the Spaniard demands.
Tactically, the fit is compelling. Lopetegui has grown frustrated with Tomás Soucek’s diminishing mobility and Ward-Prowse’s lack of defensive bite in a single-pivot system. McTominay’s 6ft 4in frame, aerial dominance (he won more aerial duels than any United midfielder last season), and underrated progressive passing would allow Álvarez to step into a more advanced role on occasion, while also providing competition and cover for Guido Rodríguez, whose injury record remains a concern.
There are, however, obstacles. United’s determination to avoid selling to a direct Premier League rival could yet scupper negotiations, as evidenced by their rejection of West Ham’s approach 15 months ago. Fulham tried and failed to land McTominay on deadline day 2023, eventually turning to João Palhinha’s replacement in the form of Sander Berge. Napoli retain a long-standing admiration and are expected to return with a fresh bid in January, potentially offering part-exchange options United would find more palatable.
For West Ham supporters, the prospect of replacing Bowen’s goals with McTominay’s industry and occasional brilliance may feel like a downgrade in star power. Yet those inside the club argue the Scotland international’s leadership qualities—he has captained United on multiple occasions—and relentless work rate align perfectly with the identity Lopetegui is attempting to forge after a difficult first six months.
As things stand, West Ham have sounded out personal terms in principle: a five-year contract worth around £120,000 per week plus bonuses. The ball is now in Manchester United’s court. If Amorim decides McTominay has no long-term future in his midfield, a deal could be concluded swiftly once Bowen’s anticipated departure provides the necessary funds.
With the January window just six weeks away, West Ham are preparing for their most consequential transfer period in years. Lose Bowen and Kudus without adequate reinvestment and a promising season could unravel; secure McTominay and one other high-calibre addition, and Lopetegui may yet turn a looming crisis into the foundation of a new era. For now, all eyes are on Manchester United’s next move—and whether Scott McTominay’s 22-year association with his boyhood club is finally coming to an end.