charlie cresswell is back in the frame for West Ham United after Toulouse president Olivier Cloarec signaled that summer sales are coming. The England Under-21 defender could be available when the market reopens, and West Ham are among the clubs watching closely. The timing matters because Konstantinos Mavropanos is also being linked with Borussia Dortmund, which could shape the Hammers’ next move.
Toulouse set out the summer picture
The clearest update came from Cloarec, the Toulouse president, after the club’s 4-1 Coupe de France semi-final defeat to RC Lens this week. Speaking to RMC Sport, he said: “We’re in complete agreement [that summer sales will happen]. ”
That message matters for West Ham because the club had already tested the waters with a loan-to-buy approach late in the summer transfer window in 2025, only for Toulouse to turn it down. Toulouse are now expected to be more open to departures, with Charlie Cresswell named among the players likely to move on.
The fee being discussed is in the region of £30 million, and Toulouse are said to have already rejected sizeable interest from Wolfsburg in the winter. The situation gives West Ham a possible opening, especially if they decide to move quickly once the window opens.
West Ham’s defensive plans could shift fast
West Ham’s interest in Charlie Cresswell has not gone away, and the club may need to revisit the transfer if Mavropanos leaves. The Greek defender is now being linked with Borussia Dortmund, with the attraction of Champions League football appearing to play a major role.
That creates a direct link between the two stories: if one centre-back exits, the other becomes a more realistic target. For West Ham, Charlie Cresswell offers a name already familiar to the recruitment discussion, and Toulouse’s own stance suggests the door is not closed.
There is also a wider backdrop of uncertainty around West Ham’s defensive future. The club’s current centre-back situation remains fluid, and any departure would increase the pressure to move decisively in the market.
Immediate reactions point to a summer move
“We’re in complete agreement [that summer sales will happen], ” Cloarec said, adding that this model is part of French football. He also said Toulouse managed to keep players last summer and in the winter, but that “there will be sales this summer. ”
That kind of statement is the strongest public sign yet that Charlie Cresswell could be on the move. It does not confirm a transfer, but it does confirm the club expects departures.
For West Ham, that matters because they have already shown interest and are monitoring the situation. If Mavropanos moves on, the route to Charlie Cresswell could become far clearer.
What happens next for Charlie Cresswell
The next step will depend on whether West Ham choose to turn their interest into a formal push and whether Toulouse hold firm on valuation. For now, Charlie Cresswell remains one of the most closely watched names in the discussion around West Ham’s summer rebuild.
The picture is simple: Toulouse expect sales, West Ham need to plan for possible changes in defense, and Charlie Cresswell sits in the middle of both storylines. If the market opens with movement around Mavropanos, the pressure on West Ham to act on Charlie Cresswell could rise quickly.
