West Ham circle Toulouse rock Charlie Cresswell as Nuno’s rebuild gathers pace

File this under moves that make a lot of sense. West Ham have rekindled their interest in Charlie Cresswell, the Toulouse centre-half who’s gone from Leeds fringe player to one of Ligue 1’s most reliable young defenders. A 2026 switch is being weighed up, and you can see why the Hammers are sniffing around.

Why Cresswell’s on the Hammers’ shopping list

At just 23, Cresswell has stitched together an excellent 15 months in France. Since leaving Leeds for Toulouse in the summer of 2024, he’s racked up 46 appearances, chipped in with seven goals and three assists, and generally looked like a defender who relishes both penalty areas. That aerial threat isn’t a bonus; it’s part of his armoury.

Last term he featured in all but three of Toulouse’s Ligue 1 matches. This season he hasn’t missed a minute of their 2025/26 campaign so far, already on three goals and one assist. The form guide backs him up: Toulouse have lost just once in their last six league games, sit 10th, and have conceded 16 in their first 12. Not title-winning stuff, but certainly organised—and Cresswell’s been central to it.

From Leeds bit-part to French mainstay

Here’s the leap: he played only 135 Championship minutes for Leeds before heading across the Channel. In Toulouse purple he became an instant starter and, more importantly, a leader by deed—aggressive in duels, quick to read danger, and happy to put his head where it hurts. It’s the sort of attitude that tends to travel well to the Premier League.

Young Lions pedigree

His club form mirrored a superb summer with England’s Under-21s. Cresswell helped Lee Carsley’s side defend their European crown, made the Team of the Tournament, and kept Newcastle’s record signing Nick Woltemade quiet in a 3-2 extra-time win over Germany in the final. For good measure, he has three goals in 36 appearances for England U21s—handy at set pieces, to put it mildly.

The Thiago Silva chatter

Comparisons with Thiago Silva have popped up—big talk, of course, but you can see the threads: timing in the box, calm in traffic, and a nose for crucial interventions. He’s not the finished article, but there’s a grown-up centre-half in there who clearly enjoys responsibility.

What it means for West Ham

West Ham’s campaign has been a right old rollercoaster—so much so that Graham Potter was replaced by Nuno Espírito Santo after just five league games. Since then, there’s been a pulse: back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Burnley have steadied the mood around the London Stadium.

Where could Cresswell fit? Under Nuno, organisation and structure come first. A defender who’s played every minute this term, dominates set pieces and reads the game cleanly ticks plenty of boxes. He’d raise the bar in the aerial department, add composure in build-up, and bring a bit of that young-leader energy the Hammers have craved.

If you’re tracking the market temperature, our guide to best betting sites is a tidy place to start—and remember, prices can swing quickly when London clubs start circling a form centre-half.

The bottom line

Cresswell looks Premier League-ready: durable, dominant, and improving fast. If West Ham push ahead in 2026, they won’t be alone—but they might be the club that offers him the stage and responsibility he clearly craves. One to watch, and then some.