With confidence amongst fans and seemingly the players too at rock-bottom, it comes as no real surprise to learn that the West Ham United faithful are not exactly holding their breath regarding central defensive target Alexsandro.
Reports emerged last week claiming that West Ham are lining up the £25 million-rated Brazil international ahead of the January transfer window.
A source speaking to Hammers News has since confirmed, meanwhile, that Lille ace Alexsandro is Nuno Espirito Santo’s top target for the central defensive department.
Not only that, talks have taken place at West Ham United already.
“The team simply must stop conceding goals at the rate they have been, and it looks like there’s only one way to fix that now,” that source said a few days ago, backing up claims first made by ESPN Brazil.
“The Lille player was on Nuno’s list when he arrived, and he is the top target.
“Early talks have been held over price and whether the deal can be done and the signs are good. Ideally Nuno wants him in the building in the first week of January as every game is going to be so important.
“He wants to go to the World Cup with Brazil.”
And therein lies the problem.
Therein explains why a West Ham fanbase whose belief has been steadily eroded by years of mismanagement off the pitch and increasingly disastrous performances on it are predicting that, whatever happens regarding Alexsandro, he will not be heading into February 2026 in a claret and blue jersey.
West Ham United fans pessimistic over Lille defender Alexsandro
ESPN reported that Alexsandro has reservations about leaving Lille midway through the campaign.
He recently forced his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad, after all. And with a World Cup place in the balance, Alexsandro knows that a difficult start to life at a new club could see him slip out of contention at the worst possible moment.
Given that the London Stadium has become something of a footballing graveyard, housing the corpses of wasted potential, the Rio-born colossus may be in no rush to follow the same path as fellow Ligue 1 exports Nayef Aguerd and Jean-Clair Todibo.
“I’d imagine we will be about 12 to 15 points from safety by January, so doubt it’ll happen,” one fan writes on X in response to West Ham’s ambitious Alexsandro plan.
“Nuno wants him in the first week of January? He obviously doesn’t understand the people he’s working for!” another snarls.
“Tell me why he would want to join? We’ve taken four points from nine games. There’s over two months until the January window opens, and feel free to look at our fixtures going into Christmas. We will be all but down by January.”
Alexsandro wants ‘assurances’ as he chases World Cup spot with Brazil
West Ham will face Man City, Man United, Brighton and second-place AFC Bournemouth – all away from home – between now and the New Year.
Alexsandro was compared favourably to Man United’s own Leny Yoro by former Lille coach Paulo Fonseca. He is supposedly faster and stronger than the towering Frenchman, albeit while lacking Yoro’s cool-as-a-cucumber composure.
Yet, as talented and as well-rounded a defender he may be, a West Ham side enduring their worst start to a season in 52 years may be in no real position to appeal to their more ambitious transfer targets when January rolls around.
That source has already told Hammers News that Alexsandro wants ‘assurances’ should the worst happen at the London Stadium. The words ‘relegation’ and ‘clause’ come to mind.
“It’s going to be super hard getting any player to come to us in January if things carry on as they are now,” one fan writes.
“Do we seriously think he would come to us in January? Hardly appealing, a team that is second bottom with four points and Championship bound.”
“Not a good sign when they ask for a get out clause…,” another says in response to that ‘assurances’ claim.
“Won’t happen. We’ll be bottom of the league by then with no chance of staying up.
“Sully [David Sullivan] will lowball an offer, £15 million.”
