West Ham United Eye £18m Sale As Crystal Palace Push Hard: Should The Hammers Let Him Leave?

West Ham United Eye £18m Sale As Crystal Palace Push Hard: Should The Hammers Let Him Leave?

Crystal Palace are making a serious push to sign Soungoutou Magassa from West Ham United, with negotiations now at an active stage. Journalist Fabrice Hawkins confirmed the report, revealing the Eagles have maintained contact with West Ham for a considerable period to get their heads around the structure of a potential deal, and they are now ready to push it across the line.

West Ham United face fresh exit pressure as Crystal Palace chase defensive star

Magassa himself is keen. That is very significant. West Ham, following their relegation to the EFL Championship last season, are under mounting pressure to shift players on significant Premier League wages, and the 22-year-old defensive midfielder sits right at the top of that list. Several other clubs have also registered interest, which makes this a race against time for Palace to secure their man before a rival steps in.

Fabrice Hawkins, who broke the story, noted that negotiations are continuing with no deal yet confirmed.

Magassa joined West Ham from Monaco roughly a year ago for around €17 million. Across the 2025/26 season, he made 26 appearances in all competitions, including 22 Premier League outings, starting 11 of those, and clocked 989 minutes. He scored against Manchester United. For a young player settling into English football, those aren’t numbers to sniff at.

T4O Opinion: Should the Hammers let him leave?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 20: Soungoutou Magassa of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

West Ham’s verdict on Magassa shouldn’t take long. Here’s the blunt truth: keeping him serves nobody. A 22-year-old France Under-21 international with an Olympic silver medal, an 85% passing completion rate, and a genuine dual profile as a number six or ball-playing centre-back has absolutely no business playing Championship football. His market value starts sliding the moment he faces Blackburn on a Tuesday night.

Crystal Palace under Pierre Sage are building something with genuine defensive structure, and Magassa fits their system precisely, physically imposing at 6-foot-2, comfortable with the ball, capable of operating in multiple positions across the backline and midfield. West Ham have already raised over €175 million this summer through sales including Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville. They have leverage. Nuno should push for £18-20 million, bank the profit on last summer’s Monaco fee, and move on without sentiment.

Holding out for more, or attempting to talk Magassa around, would be a mistake West Ham United can’t afford, not financially, not structurally, not with a Championship rebuild beginning immediately.