Star and keeper available on frees as Leeds United former relegation rivals West Ham announce exits after drop
Leeds United’s former Premier League rivals have announced who will be leaving following relegation.
A star attacker and experienced goalkeeper will become available on free transfers upon Leeds United’s former Premier League rivals West Ham announcing their retained list following relegation to the Championship.
West Ham saw their 14-year stay in the country’s top flight ended with relegation, despite their final day 3-0 win at home to newly promoted Leeds who knew they were safe with three games remaining.
Following their drop to the Championship, the Irons have now released their retained list with news that powerful winger Adama Traore and experienced Polish international keeper Lukasz Fabianski will be leaving the club on free transfers as their contracts expire this summer.
A statement from the club read: “West Ham United has issued the Club’s Retained List of players at the end of the 2025/26 season.
“First-team players Łukasz Fabiański and Adama Traoré will be listed as free transfers when their respective contracts expire on 30 June.
“Polish goalkeeper Fabiański was initially with the Club for seven seasons between 2018-25, winning the Hammer of the Year award in 2019 and being part of the squad which won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023. The 41-year-old returned on a one-year contract in September 2025.’
‘Registering assists against Brentford and Leeds’
“Spanish winger Adama made 12 appearances after arriving from Fulham in January. The 30-year-old started three Emirates FA Cup ties, registering assists against Brentford and Leeds United, and appeared nine times as a substitute in the Premier League.
“French centre-back Axel Disasi returns to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell, having made 17 appearances in the Premier League and FA Cup, scoring against Leeds in the sixth round.
“Development squad players Michael Forbes, Junior Robinson, Tyron Akpata, Daniel Rigge, David Chigwada and Tom Wooster will also be departing the Club this summer.
“Full-back Robinson played over 100 games for the Club’s U21 and U18 teams and spent loan spells at Livingston, Sutton United and Boreham Wood.
“Defender Forbes played 78 times for the Club’s U21 and U18 sides and was named in the first-team squad for a UEFA Europa Conference League tie at FCSB in Romania in November 2022. He made his senior Northern Ireland debut in November 2023.
“Midfielder Rigge appeared as a substitute in West Ham’s FA Youth Cup final win over Arsenal in 2023. He appeared in 76 games for the Club at U21 and U18 levels.
“Academy scholar Jonathan Unwin will also depart on 30 June.
“West Ham United would like to thank all those players departing for their hard work and commitment during their careers in Claret and Blue and wish them the very best in the future.”