West Ham is among several Premier League clubs monitoring Wolves centre-back Santiago Bueno as the summer transfer window approaches, according to Football Insider. With Wolves’ relegation to the Championship confirmed, West Ham currently sits in 17th place, just two points ahead of Tottenham, as they scramble to avoid dropping down themselves. The report from Pete O’Rourke on the Transfer Insider podcast also mentions Brentford and Crystal Palace as other teams interested in the Uruguayan defender.
West Ham are interested in Wolves defender as the summer transfer window approaches
Bueno joined Wolves from Girona on August 31, 2023, for a reported £8.5 million on a five-year deal. This season has been his strongest at Molineux, as his consistent performances during a challenging year have caught the attention of several top-flight clubs. According to WhoScored statistics, tackling and focus are his main strengths, though he occasionally struggles with passing and aerial duels.
This attributes make him a better fit for a high-intensity, pressing team rather than one that tends to sit back and play long balls. With ample Premier League experience, Bueno is a reliable option who would likely cost much less than a marquee signing. His contract, which lasts until June 2028 at approximately £40,000 a week, gives Wolves significant leverage in negotiations this summer.
“There’ll be a lot of clubs looking at some of the players at Wolves following their relegation from the Premier League. They hope they can lure them away and offer them the chance to stay in the top flight. Bueno’s done okay for Wolves this season. He’s played more this season than he has since he arrived at Molineux in 2023, and he’s impressed.
“There are a lot of Premier League clubs who are keeping tabs on Bueno; you’ve got the likes of Brentford and Crystal Palace looking at him. West Ham as well, if they can stay up, I’m sure they’d all be interested in Bueno, hoping that with Wolves going down, he might be able to be prised away.
“He’s Premier League proven, Bueno, as well, so he could be a good fit for any of those clubs looking to strengthen their centre-back options.”
Would signing Bueno actually fix what West Ham need?