The ex-Real Madrid £30m gem West Ham can sign on free transfer immediately to boost struggling side

West Ham United have had a worrying start to the new Premier League season and find themselves sat precariously in the bottom three, after four defeats from five games in all competitions.

Graham Potter has already come under pressure with some calling for him to be the first manager to be sacked this season, options such as Frank Lampard, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho touted as potential successors should Potter be relieved of his duties - although the latter now looks set to take the reins at Benfica instead.

There’s still time to turn things around on the pitch before it gets to that stage, though. The Hammers face Crystal Palace and Everton next up, before another London derby with Arsenal and with must-win encounters with Brentford and Leeds United on the horizon.

West Ham currently have a squad which has been depleted in some areas and is lacking confidence and quality in others. With the January transfer window and the chance to secure big-money arrivals still some time away, the Hammers could make use of the free agent market with a smart purchase before then.

West Ham should secure free signing of Sergio Reguilon

West Ham should seriously consider making a move for left-back Sergio Reguilon, who is currently a free agent following his release by Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The 28-year-old has struggled to find a permanent home over the last couple of years and will not necessarily be an instant game-changer, but he will provide a strong depth option for the Hammers and offer competition for El Hadji Malick Diouf as he adapts to life in England.

Reguilon learned all there is to know in the game at Real Madrid, where he was on the books for 15 years. While he only made 22 appearances for Los Blancos’ first team, he was sold to Spurs for £30 million in 2020 on a five-year deal, which included a reported £27.5m buy-back clause. The inclusion of such a clause proves just how highly-rated he was at Madrid.

He ultimately fell out of favour at Spurs after a strong start, finding himself sent out on loan spells at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford before returning to north London last season. Now a free agent, Reguilon is looking for a new club and has reportedly been targeted by the Hammers, as well as Everton and Newcastle United.

Reguilon signing would solve West Ham full-back issues

Three full-backs departed the London Stadium in the summer and so the addition of Reguilon would go a long way to solving a squad issue which could develop into a major one for the Hammers.

Emerson, Aaron Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal have all left the club and West Ham now have just three senior full-backs within the squad. Their only understudy to Diouf at left-back is 19-year-old Oliver Scarles, who has just 830 minutes of senior football under his belt and could probably benefit from a loan spell away to aid his development.

Reguilon is not only an experienced defender who has played at the top level in England, in Spain and in the top European competitions, he boasts strong attacking qualities. With 14 goals and 26 assists across his career, he is capable of providing the goods at both ends of the pitch and will be chomping at the bit to get another opportunity at the top level, following a challenging couple of years in his career.

This would be a relatively low-risk move for West Ham. Picking up a free agent of the pedigree of Reguilon on a short-term contract would offer Potter more defensive options and offer him the chance to rest 20-year-old Diouf when necessary. Should Reguilon rediscover the form he is known to have, he could prove a true steal.