West Ham United's summer transfer window took a while to get up to speed, though whilst the Hammers will largely be pleased with the business they were able to conduct in the end, they may have missed out on an eight-figure bargain to a division rival.

Following relegation from the Premier League, West Ham have swiftly set their sights on a return to the top flight. However, before the season could begin, the summer transfer window provided an opportunity for head coach Nuno Espírito Santo to reshape his side.

The likes of Mateus Fernandes, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Crysencio Summerville, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka each left the club for multi-million pound fees, as incoming director of player recruitment, Nils Koppen, was tasked with replacing these stars.

It took a while for the Belgian to get down to business, and though each of Arne Engels, Joel Piroe, Manor Solomon, Edvin Austbo, and Divine Mukasa joined, the Hammers may well have missed out on an incredible bargain to a Championship rival.

West Ham United and Wrexham were interested in signing Ethan Galbraith from Swansea City in the summer

As exclusively revealed by Football League World, West Ham joined Wrexham in the race for then-Swansea City midfielder Ethan Galbraith over the summer, with the East London outfit looking to reinforce their midfield options following relegation.

Galbraith, 25, came through the ranks of Manchester United before working his way up the EFL with Doncaster Rovers, Salford City, and then Leyton Orient, before joining Swansea in the summer of 2025 for a meagre £1.5 million.

Though he balanced his minutes between midfield and right-back in South Wales, Galbraith's quality was on display for everyone to see, as a host of Championship clubs, including West Ham and Wrexham, were on alert.

However, Swansea were demanding a fee in excess of eight figures, which put off some of the competition, but not Stoke City, who bit the financial bullet and are reaping the rewards.

Ethan Galbraith would join Stoke City for a fee in excess of £10 million

One year after joining Swansea for just £1.5 million, Stoke agreed a fee worth in excess of £10 million for Galbraith, as the Northern Irishman headed to the Potteries under the noses of West Ham and Wrexham.

The 25-year-old had rejected a fresh contract offer from the Swans in April 2026, as Galbraith set his sights on a swift exit from South Wales, as his move to Stoke certainly raised a few eyebrows, especially in the midst of West Ham and Wrexham's interest.

West Ham have been largely tipped for an immediate promotion back to the Premier League, whilst Wrexham have already recorded more top half finishes in the Championship than Stoke after just one year in the division compared to the Potters' eight, as legitimate question marks around the midfielder's choice were raised.

Ethan Galbraith has had an excellent start to life at Stoke City since his lucrative switch

With Galbraith having his pick of the clubs, he ultimately chose to join Mark Robins' Stoke side, and despite the Potters losing all three of their opening Championship games this campaign, they have bounced back superbly, with the Northern Irishman playing a starring role.

In 12 league appearances so far this season, Galbraith has scored three and assisted three from midfield, quickly announcing himself as one of the best and most influential midfielders in the entire division.

Penning a four-year deal in North Staffordshire, Galbraith's stock has risen sharply in just a couple of months, and though £10 million bargains are hard to come by, especially in the Championship, the former United academy player is proving to be a rare case.

Stoke appear to have struck transfer gold in the case of Galbraith, as West Ham and Wrexham must regret not stumping up the money when they could've.

What have you made of Ethan Galbraith's move to Stoke? Is this one that West Ham and Wrexham have missed out on? Share your thoughts below!

West Ham United and Wrexham must regret missing out on a deal for Ethan Galbraith after Stoke City evidence

West Ham broke the EFL transfer record to complete the addition of Belgian midfielder Arne Engels from Celtic, paying £22 million to bring the 23-year-old to East London from Glasgow.

Whilst Engels has performed well and looks to be well worth that fee at this stage, had the Hammers cherry-picked Galbraith from Swansea, they would have paid less than half that fee for a player with a similar level of ability.

Wrexham have an abundance of midfield options, from Ben Whiteman, to Lewis O'Brien, to Ollie Rathbone, and to Matty James, though it would be difficult to argue that Galbraith's quality is far beyond any of those options at the Racecourse Ground.

Galbraith looks well worth the fee at this stage, as West Ham and Wrexham may feel as though this is one they have allowed to slip through the cracks.