West Ham United are working against the clock to add further reinforcements before the 11pm BST transfer deadline, with Nuno Espirito Santo still looking to strengthen key areas of his squad.

The Hammers have already overseen a busy summer that has brought Arne Engels, Edvin Austbo, Manor Solomon, Keiber Lamadrid, Joel Piroe, Divine Mukasa, and Joel Veltman to the club. However, adding another option at left-back remains high on the agenda.

According to The Athletic, West Ham have now opened talks over a season-long loan move for Athletic Bilbao left-back Adama Boiro, having shifted their attention towards the 24-year-old following difficulties in their pursuit of AS Roma’s Anass Salah-Eddine.

West Ham turn to Boiro after Salah-Eddine setback

Salah-Eddine had been targeted as a potential solution, with West Ham submitting a loan proposal to Roma. However, completing that move now appears unlikely as the defender would prefer to explore alternative opportunities.

That has prompted the Hammers to move quickly towards Boiro, with discussions already taking place over bringing the Athletic Club defender to England for the remainder of the season. Boiro has found meaningful first-team opportunities difficult to come by during the opening weeks of the campaign.

He has played only 20 minutes across Athletic Club’s opening three league fixtures against Sevilla, Barcelona and Celta Vigo, potentially opening the door for a temporary departure.

Loan deal could suit all parties

A season-long move could provide Boiro with the regular senior football that has so far been unavailable to him in Spain. West Ham, meanwhile, would strengthen a position they have been actively attempting to address without necessarily committing significant funds to a permanent transfer so late in the window.

The challenge will be completing negotiations before the deadline, particularly given how recently the club have switched their focus following the setback over Salah-Eddine. With talks underway, Boiro has nevertheless emerged as a realistic late option as West Ham attempt to complete their summer recruitment.

West Ham’s pursuit of Boiro looks very much like a deadline-driven opportunity, but that does not mean it lacks logic. His limited minutes at Athletic Bilbao create a clear reason for the Spanish club and player to consider a temporary move, while West Ham have an obvious need at left-back.

A loan would also limit the financial risk and give the Hammers time to assess whether Boiro can adapt to English football. The biggest issue is simply the clock. With the Salah-Eddine deal fading, West Ham will need negotiations for Boiro to progress quickly if they are to get this one over the line.