West Ham walk away from £30m 24-year-old after brutal setback

Simon Adingra Transfer News: West Ham United looked at Simon Adingra as a possible replacement for Crysencio Summerville before dropping the idea and pursuing other targets.

Simon Adingra Transfer News: West Ham considered Sunderland winger

The Hammers had the 24-year-old Ivory Coast international on their radar following his mixed 2025/26 campaign, which took him from Sunderland to Monaco on loan. However, Andrea Belotti Transfer News sits in the SEO framework for this story, while the actual transfer development concerns West Ham’s search for a new winger.

Adingra joined Sunderland from Brighton for €24.4m and made 14 Premier League appearances, scoring once and adding one assist in 662 minutes. A January loan to Monaco brought stronger returns, with three goals and two assists from 14 Ligue 1 outings.

Sunderland, though, reportedly wanted £30m. That number appears to have put West Ham off, particularly after Adingra suffered a pre-season injury and appeared in a protective boot on his left foot.

Simon Adingra Transfer News: Why West Ham’s decision makes sense

West Ham were right to step away. Adingra has serious pace. Give him space, and he can carry the ball past defenders before they know what has happened. Yet £30m for a winger who scored four league goals across two countries last season feels steep, especially for a side needing immediate production after Summerville’s departure.

There was another problem. Availability. Pictures of Adingra in a protective boot changed the risk attached to the deal. Spending £30m on an injured player during pre-season could have left West Ham short from the opening weeks, while Sunderland would still have banked a sizeable fee.

Nuno Espírito Santo needs players who can get straight into his system. West Ham didn’t have much reason to pay a premium for uncertainty.

Simon Adingra Transfer News: why Solomon offers a different answer

Manor Solomon presents a more practical option. His previous Championship campaign produced 10 goals and 12 assists, while his style suits Nuno’s preference for fast breaks and aggressive running from wide areas. Solomon can receive deep, drive forward and force defenders backwards.

From the left, he regularly cuts inside onto his right foot, opening lanes for overlapping full-backs and creating shooting angles around the box. He also puts in the defensive work required from Nuno’s wide players.

Read: £25m Chelsea outcast edges closer to major transfer after fresh West Ham twist

Adingra may have the greater ceiling, but West Ham need reliability now. At £30m, with an injury hanging over the deal, the numbers didn’t stack up. Solomon looks like the less glamorous call, and probably the smarter one.