7 former West Ham players we can’t believe are still playing in 2024

West Ham United have signed plenty of players in the past to escape mediocrity and learning that some of them are still playing in 2024 came as a surprise to us.

Gaining a reputation for wastefulness in the transfer market, there were long periods where it seemed like West Ham would take a punt on anybody.

We’ve identified seven former Hammers, going back to the Alan Curbishley era, who are surprisingly still carrying on their football careers in 2024.

Dimitri Payet

Still hated by a section of Hammers fans for his acrimonious exit in January 2017, Payet was one of the club’s best players of the Premier League era.

At a distance of seven-and-a-half years, it’s hard not to reminisce over the playmaker’s superb free-kicks, eye-of-the-needle passing and penchant for the spectacular that meant an actual West Ham player was on the Ballon d’Or shortlist in 2016.

After being released by his beloved Marseille at the end of the 2022-23 season, the 37-year-old signed for Brazilian club Vasco da Gama and still scores the odd banging free-kick.

Andy Carroll

After a semi-successful loan spell at West Ham in 2012-13, Carroll became West Ham’s record signing when Allardyce bought him back for £15million. He was quickly injured.

That summed up his time in east London, where the big striker would intersperse time on the treatment table with snatches of quality.

He left the club in 2019, returning to Newcastle for a few seasons before spells with Reading and French club Amiens.

Now in his mid-30s, Carroll is still in France has just completed a move to fourth-tier Bordeaux.

“He has a wealth of high-level experience with almost 450 professional games, making him an ideal addition to Bordeaux’s attack,” a club statement on their website read.

“His size, his goal-scoring talent and his fighting spirit will certainly help the Navy and White this season. We can’t wait to see him on the pitch!”

Mohamed Diame

A quintessential Barclaysman, Diame played in the competition for Wigan, Hull and Newcastle alongside his two years at West Ham.

Signed by Sam Allardyce after promotion in 2012, the midfielder scored seven goals for the Hammers and impressed with his all-action displays.

After leaving the Premier League in 2019, Diame has played in the Middle East for Al-Ahli and Spain for lower division side Fuenlabrada.

He’s now back in Qatar at the age of 37 and playing for Al-Sailiya.

Jose Fonte

Signed in January 2017 as West Ham found themselves in a relegation battle, Fonte arrived in east London with big wages and a big reputation.

Having impressed at Southampton, and helped Portugal win Euro 2016, the centre-back conceded a penalty on his Hammers debut and things didn’t get much better from there.

Fonte was flogged to Dalian Yifang the following February, before cancelling his contract with the Chinese side and moving to Lille after just five months.

He captained the French side to the Ligue 1 title in 2021 before returning to Portugal. After a year at Braga, the 40-year-old now captains  Casa Pia.

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Savio Nsereko

One of the worst signings in Premier League history – and West Ham have provided plenty of contenders for that coveted title – Savio is still playing in Germany for ninth-tier outfit BSC Sendling Munchen.

His story is a particularly mad one…

READ NEXT: Savio Nsereko’s route from West Ham’s record signing to troubled nomad

Pablo Barrera

Finishing bottom of the Premier League with just seven wins and 33 points, West Ham’s 2010-11 season was one of the worst in the club’s history.

It didn’t help that the cash-strapped Hammers spent £4million on Barrera, who had impressed at the World Cup with Mexico but whose impact at Upton Park was invisible to the naked eye.

He was loaned to Real Zaragoza after relegation, before returning to Mexico with Cruz Azal in 2012. The winger has remained in his homeland ever since and currently turns out for Liga MX side Queretaro at the age of 37.

Freddie Sears

In March 2008, Sears lifted the roof at Upton Park after scoring the winning goal against Blackburn at the age of 17.

After hitting the post at Everton in his next outing, big things were expected of the young striker especially considering the injuries to Dean Ashton and Craig Bellamy at the time.

But his time at West Ham never quite lived up to that promise. Sam Allardyce admitted in his autobiography that he couldn’t understand the fuss around Sears and he only scored one more goal before leaving for Colchester in 2012.

After impressing enough to earn a move to Championship side Ipswich, the 33-year-old returned to the Colchester Community Stadium in 2021.

Now 34, the forward plays for Isthmian League Premier Division club Chatham Town.