West Ham confirm that Lukasz Fabianski and Adama Traore will depart on free transfers when their contracts end on June 30, with Axel Disasi also leaving as a loan returnee, as the club prepares for a busy rebuild ahead of the 2026-27 Championship campaign.
The decisions follow West Ham’s relegation from the Premier League in 2025-26, their first drop since 2011-12, with experienced names judged surplus to requirements for next season as plans focus on reshaping the squad for life outside the top flight.
Fabianski arrived from Swansea City in 2018 and featured 216 times in all competitions for West Ham, recording 50 clean sheets and playing a key role in the 2022-23 Conference League triumph over Fiorentina, which ended the club’s 58-year wait for a major trophy.
Despite that impact, Fabianski lost his place under Nuno Espirito Santo during the 2025-26 season, did not appear in any competition, and was overtaken in the goalkeeping hierarchy by Mads Hermansen and Alphonse Areola, leading to the decision not to extend the contract.
Adama Traore leaves after only six months at West Ham, joining from Fulham in January and producing one assist across 12 matches in all competitions, while Disasi returns to Chelsea after 17 appearances in the Premier League and FA Cup, including a goal against Leeds United in the sixth round.
Several development squad players are also released, with Michael Forbes, Junior Robinson, Tyron Akpata, Daniel Rigge, David Chigwada and Tom Wooster all departing; the exits form part of the club’s official retained list issued after the 2025-26 season.
Key senior and youth exits are summarised below.
| Player | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Lukasz Fabianski | Free transfer | Contract ends June 30; 216 games, 50 clean sheets |
| Adama Traore | Free transfer | Joined from Fulham in January; 12 games, one assist |
| Axel Disasi | Loan ends | Returns to Chelsea; 17 games, scored vs Leeds United |
| Forbes, Robinson, Akpata, Rigge, Chigwada, Wooster | Released | Development squad players leave after 2025-26 season |
Attention now turns to potential sales of leading players, with Mateus Fernandes linked with Manchester United and Arsenal, while Crysencio Summerville is reportedly on the radar of AC Milan, Tottenham and Aston Villa, underlining expectations of further changes to the West Ham squad before the new Championship season.