West Ham are preparing for a busy January, and have reportedly set their sights on Lille centre-back Alexsandro.
The London club plan to reinforce their defensive line as soon as the winter transfer window opens, and the Brazilian has emerged as their top target.
The 26-year-old Brazilian is currently valued by Lille at more than £25.5 million (€30 million), and while he is reportedly open to a move, he remains unsure whether January is the right time to make the leap into English football. According to sources close to the player, although Alexsandro dreams of testing himself in the Premier League, he is wary that adapting mid-season could disrupt his rhythm and subsequently affect his international prospects in light of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite being ambitious about the next step in his career, Alexsandro reportedly fears that the adaptation to English football might take longer than expected and could cost him a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad in 2026.
The defender is currently competing for one of the last centre-back spots under Carlo Ancelotti, along with Fabrício Bruno, Lucas Beraldo and Léo Ortiz.
Having Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Éder Militão already considered locks, Alexsandro will know his own chances depend on top form and regular minutes at club level.
Before landing in France in 2022, the road to the top was long for Alexsandro. Having come through Flamengo’s youth ranks, he played for Resende in Brazil and then in Portugal for Praiense, Amora, and Chaves.
His performances at Chaves earned him a transfer to Lille, where he quickly became a key figure in Ligue 1, thanks to his calmness on the ball and defensive consistency.
Linked in recent months with Saudi clubs like Al Nassr, the Brazilian remains contracted to Lille until June 2028. Whether he makes the leap into the Premier League with West Ham in January will depend on how the negotiations go in the coming weeks.
