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West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini is closing in on adding Albian Ajeti to his ranks in east London with the club nearing an £8m plus add-ons deal for the Swiss international.

Ajeti will become the sixth signing of the summer for the Hammers should he complete his move as expected, with a medical already planned for the frontman.

Elsewhere, Grady Diangana looks likely to leave the club on loan before the window closes, while midfielder Josh Cullen could also be on the move as well as a couple of youngsters.

The Hammers pre-season campaign, a perfectly symmetrical one with three wins, three defeats, 12 goals conceded and 12 goals scored, alerted the manager to the need for defensive reinforcements after seeing his defenders have iffy summers and having to tread very carefully with Winston Reid after 18 months on the sidelines injured.

Goncalo Cardoso has arrived to remedy that (hopefully) and now attention has turned to the revamped striker department as Marko Arnautovic, Andy Carroll, Lucas Perez and Jordan Hugill won't be at the club next season and just Sebastien Haller and Javier Hernandez in place as the recognised strikers at the club.

Pellegrini said "anything can happen" when asked after the defeat to Athletic Bilbao last weekend whether he'd be making any more signings this summer and, well it has rung true so far.

So, what's the latest with players coming in or going out before the deadline with the clock ticking?

Incomings

(Image: Arfa Griffiths/West Ham United FC via Getty Images)

Cardoso completed his move on Tuesday to become the club's fifth signing this summer and we're expecting the Hammers to tie up one more deal before the window closes - ideally the one of Basel striker Ajeti.

In terms of other incomings, this is West Ham so no doubt there will be a frenzy of activity on Thursday (which is when Manuel Pellegrini will hold his pre-match press conference ahead of the City game) but a lot depends on what value for money is out there.

Pellegrini is not a massive fan of loan moves for incomings. A loan to buy for Ajeti was mooted but it seems like the Hammers are willing to pay the £8m valuation of the striker. But at such a late stage of the window, it'll be tough to get any more permanent deals over the line on Thursday.

A lot has been made of net spend in recent weeks among the Hammers fan base but having shelled out £65m on Haller and Fornals, plus the £90m spending spree of last summer, the cash simply isn't there to spend big once again.

It's worth remembering the club is still paying off Marko Arnautovic's move from Stoke City as an example and first installments will be due on Haller and Fornals within the next six to 12 months. Then you've got installments from last summer's spending to factor in too.

Defender Aaron Long won't be arriving in east London after the capture of Cardoso and the club could probably do with another striker to ease the burden on Haller, with Javier Hernandez the only other senor striker on board which is where Ajeti has come into play.

Outgoings

(Image: Warren Little/Getty Images)

There aren't too many candidates for a departure from the club right now but it is likely a few youngsters could end out on loan come 5pm Thursday but in terms of permanent ones, that's highly unlikely.

Football.London understands any potential move away for Hernandez is unlikely to happen as the Hammers won't have any time to find a replacement for the Mexican should they decide to let him go, irrelevant of what happens with Ajeti. Offers will no doubt come in for players, the Hammers have to consider if a deal is the right time to do one.

The arrival of Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt three weeks ago has pushed Chicharito down the pecking order but West Ham need him for cover in case Haller gets injured alongside the potential recruitment of Ajeti.

In terms of loan deals, football.london revealed on Wednesday morning that West Brom manager and former Hammers boss Slaven Bilic wants to bring Grady Diangana to the Hawthorns temporarily. He is also exploring signing teenage centre back Ajibola Alese, according to reports.

The likes of Nathan Holland, Conor Coventry and Dan Kemp have potential to be sent out on loan and the club has already sold Marcus Browne and Reece Oxford this summer.

Josh Cullen is seen as a first team squad member, though he needs to be playing regular football at this stage of his career and could still be loaned out before the window closes. As he is in the final year of his contract, a permanent move can't be ruled out though with Charlton Athletic, who Cullen helped to League One promotion last season, favourites to sign him up.

If a truly outstanding offer were to come in for a fringe player then perhaps the club could consider it but it is unlikely Pellegrini will want any further disruption to his squad this close to the start of the 2019/20 season. Because if he does sell then he would have to replace and there wouldn't be enough time to get that done.