West Ham are back in pre-season mode as they prepare to return to the Championship for the next season.

The Hammers finished 18th in the Premier League, and were relegated after 14 years in the top tier.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s team finished with 39 points, two points behind 17th-place Tottenham Hotspur. They now aspire to gain promotion from the second division at their first try.

The London club has had a hectic start to the summer transfer season, with several players linked with moves abroad.

The club is also looking at possible signings, with Mateus Fernandes’ £85 million sale to Tottenham providing an injection of cash that may be used in the transfer market.

West Ham will begin their season on August 16 against Burnley, although they have until September 1 to conclude their transfer business.

West Ham United’s Harrison Burrows transfer stance

According to Football Insider, West Ham would look to sign Harrison Burrows if El Hadji Malick Diouf is sold.

FLW earlier revealed in May that the London club is interested in signing the full-back following their relegation.

However, any move for the Sheffield United player will most likely be put on hold until Diouf’s future is determined.

The defender was part of Senegal’s World Cup team, which was ousted in the round of 32 against Belgium.

And now that his participation in North America is over, curiosity about his future is sure to increase.

Everton are reportedly interested in signing the West Ham star, who had five assists in 32 Premier League outings last season.

If Diouf is sold, West Ham have identified Burrows as a major candidate to replace him.

The 24-year-old joined Sheffield United during the summer transfer window of 2024, and he has since established himself as an important part of Chris Wilder’s first-team ambitions.

The defender has 87 league appearances, with 10 goals and seven assists.

He was an important member of the Blades’ squad as they advanced to the 2025 play-off final, only to lose to Sunderland.

Burrows’ contract with the Yorkshire outfit runs until June 2028, and it remains to be seen what kind of asking price the club will place on him given West Ham’s interest.

Harrison Burrows is a natural successor to El Hadji Malick Diouf.

Burrows has been impressive for Sheffield United over the last two seasons, and he naturally moved back up to the Championship from Peterborough United.

If Diouf is sold, the left-back would be a logical replacement because their playing styles are so similar.

The two defenders have a heavy emphasis on getting forward and contributing in the final third, essentially acting as wing-backs rather than full-backs.

Espírito Santo’s style of play emphasises the role of full-backs, sometimes known as wing-backs, in driving forward and contributing to the attack.