West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell could remain at the London Stadium

HomeExclusives Tue 26 March 2024 17:10, UK

West Ham stalwart Aaron Cresswell could be set to remain at the London Stadium beyond the end of the season, with a new player-coach role on the cards with a new deal.

Former Hammers man Frank McAvennie has tipped Cresswell for the role, insisting he is "destined" to stay in football after he retires.

This has come amid the expectation that the defender would leave the London Stadium upon the end of his current deal, but this new twist could see him stay after all.

McAvennie - speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone - insisted that he wished he had thought about his future before he retired, as he claimed there would be no better place to learn than with West Ham.

"He's been there for a while, hasn't he? He's been there for such a long time. I think he'd be great. I wish I'd have thought about my future before I finished playing football, and if somebody had offered me a player-coach role, I'd have taken it," McAvennie admitted.

"It's his way of getting into football while he's still playing, it's a win-win. I don't know the boy, I have spoken to him a couple of times and he's destined to stay in football, that's for sure.

"He's a football guy, so unless he decides he doesn't want to stay in football after he retires, that's the biggest thing. To offer him a role, Moyes will know his feelings about staying in football after he finishes.

"If you're going to stay in football and learn, West Ham's not a bad place for it."

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Could Aaron Cresswell sign a player-coach deal at West Ham? Cresswell moved to West Ham from Ipswich Town in 2014, meaning this summer would mark ten years since he joined the club. Perhaps it would be a fitting time for him to move on to new things, but his experience and knowledge could still be lent to the Hammers.

The offer of a player-coach role may come too early for the defender at 34 years old, as he may feel he still has some time remaining as a player before taking the next steps into his career after football, but ultimately the decision rests with him.

As things stand, he is set to leave West Ham after almost ten years in what will likely be a sad day for both him and the club, although it has been widely recognised that his performances have not been up to scratch this year.

London Stadium is the home of West Ham United Cresswell appeared close to a move to Wolves last summer, but no deal ever materialised due to the financial issues at Molineux, so if the interest of that calibre remains, the defender may decide to leave the London Stadium anyway.

In other West Ham news, a Jarrod Bowen development has emerged before England v Belgium.