‘Excellent’ West Ham man moves one step closer to London Stadium exit, Nuno already has his replacement – report

‘Excellent’ West Ham man moves one step closer to London Stadium exit, Nuno already has his replacement – report

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is edging closer to a Premier League return, with the defender reportedly reaching an agreement in principle to join Aston Villa.

The 28-year-old has been heavily linked with a West Ham exit all summer following the club’s drop into the Championship — and his next destination now appears to be Villa Park.

According to Football Insider, Wan-Bissaka has given the green light to a move to Unai Emery’s side, with Villa and West Ham currently ironing out the final transfer fee. The deal is expected to land in the £20m–£25m range, and if the Hammers can secure the upper end of that bracket, a sale would be hard to resist.

A quick rise, then a shift

Wan-Bissaka joined West Ham from Manchester United for £15m in August 2024 and made an immediate impact in east London.

His debut season was so commanding that fans voted him Hammer of the Year — ahead of Jarrod Bowen and Tomáš Souček — after he delivered two goals and five assists in 36 Premier League outings.

But last season proved less straightforward. The arrival of Kyle Walker-Peters intensified competition at right-back, and although Wan-Bissaka briefly lost his starting spot, he fought his way back during the club’s relegation scrap.

At one point, pundit Jamie Redknapp hailed him as “excellent,” yet he still struggled to cement a permanent place in Nuno Espírito Santo’s first XI.

A strong showing for DR Congo at the World Cup reaffirmed his top-flight ambitions. Sources suggest he has been eager to return to the Premier League immediately after relegation — and Villa can offer him something even more enticing: Champions League football.

Why West Ham can afford to let him go

There was a time when losing Wan-Bissaka would have felt like a major blow. He was West Ham’s standout performer just over a year ago, remains only 28, and boasts 233 Premier League appearances.

But the landscape has shifted.

The Hammers already have Walker-Peters — a promotion winner with Southampton — who made 28 appearances last season. Nuno has also added Joël Veltman this summer; the former Brighton defender brings over 450 career appearances and can cover both right-back and centre-back.

So West Ham are not being forced into the market for a replacement.

A deal that makes business sense

While keeping Premier League-calibre players would theoretically boost promotion hopes, there is also a dose of realism required after relegation. If a player wants top-flight and European football — and a club is willing to pay up to £25m — the bigger picture must be considered.

West Ham paid £15m for Wan-Bissaka two years ago. Selling him for £25m would represent a £10m profit on a player who has already given two years of service and is now seeking a move elsewhere. With a contract running until 2031, the club holds all the leverage — meaning no cut-price deals are necessary.

Securing £25m would be strong business, especially as West Ham are simultaneously rebuilding for a promotion push and have already committed significant funds to other transfers.

Losing Wan-Bissaka would undeniably remove another proven player from Nuno’s squad. But unlike some other exits this summer, this one feels more manageable — because West Ham already have two experienced alternatives in place.

So if Aston Villa table £25m for a player the club can already replace internally, this may well be a deal that works for all sides.