MANCHESTER, England – Manchester United has confirmed the sale of right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Premier League rival West Ham United, as the club prepares for the imminent arrival of two new defenders. The transfer, completed on Tuesday, sees Wan-Bissaka move to London for a reported fee of £15 million ($19 million), ending his five-year tenure at Old Trafford.
Wan-Bissaka, known for his exceptional one-on-one defending, will now compete with Vladimir Coufal for the starting right-back position at West Ham. The 25-year-old returns to London, where he began his professional career with Crystal Palace.
Manchester United, meanwhile, has been busy in the transfer market, with reports indicating that they are close to securing replacements for Wan-Bissaka. Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui is reportedly on the verge of joining United from Bayern Munich, alongside Dutch center-back Matthijs de Ligt.
Footage surfaced on Monday showing De Ligt arriving in Manchester, fueling speculation that the transfer is nearly complete. De Ligt, who has been one of Europe’s most sought-after defenders, is expected to bolster United’s backline significantly.
In addition to Mazraoui and De Ligt, United has already strengthened its defense by signing 18-year-old center-back Leny Yoro from Lille for €62 million ($68 million) earlier in the transfer window.
The departure of Wan-Bissaka marks a significant change in United’s defensive setup, with the club focusing on bringing in top-tier talent to solidify their backline for the upcoming season.