Igor Julio shares big reason why he’s perfect for Graham Potter’s West Ham, has ‘a lot of quality’

So, what can West Ham United fans expect from the man who became their eight first-team acquisitions of a hectic summer transfer window, Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Igor Julio?Well, for starters, the 27-year-old Brazilian will be hoping to nail down the left-sided centre-back role in which Nayef Aguerd flopped pretty spectacularly at the start of the new campaign.West Ham somehow convinced Marseille to pay £17.5 million for a defender who was part of a backline breached eight times in two Premier League matches. In Aguerd’s place, meanwhile, comes another left-footer with a point to prove.Igor Julio was initially supposed to join Crystal Palace from their arch-rivals Brighton. But after an issue was uncovered during his medical tests at Selhurst Park, per The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, West Ham United took a risky but potentially rewarding punt on a man who played only 37 top-flight games during two frustrating seasons on the South Coast.In the meantime, the Hammers can also claim to have been a major reason why Marc Guehi’s £35 million Liverpool switch collapsed in the dying embers of the window.But what will Igor Julio bring to Graham Potter’s side? And, as Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson make progress towards silencing their East London doubters, could another of the club’s more underwhelming additions also make a bigger impression than initially expected?Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty ImagesIgor Julio on what he will bring to Graham Potter’s West Ham UnitedSpeaking to the official West Ham website, Igor says that the London Stadium faithful can expect plenty of aggression on the pitch but also a great deal of humility off it.As you might expect given that he was signed by Brighton to play under Roberto de Zerbi in 2023, the former Fiorentina man is also a typically modern, ball-playing central defender who uses his left foot to break opposition lines.A nice fit on paper, then, for another possession-based former Seagulls gaffer.“As a player, I’m the type who always wants to learn and always wants to improve. I believe I’m a player with a lot of quality on the ball and also very aggressive without the ball,” Igor says.“And as a person, first of all, I’m humble. I’m simple, and I’m someone who likes to be with family and with friends, and to help the people who have helped me get to where I am today. So I’d say I’m a very simple and humble person, but very happy and grateful to God for everything.“From the first to the last day, I’ll give everything I have on the pitch. I’ll do everything I can so the team can win matches and the fans can, from the beginning, connect with me and enjoy my performances on the pitch.“You can expect a huge desire to win, a strong will to learn and to give my best for this shirt.”Brighton and Hove Albion loanee opens up on Graham Potter talksBright Arrey-Mbi, a former Bayern Munich youngster who now plays in Portugal with Benfica, was also linked on deadline day, alongside Toulouse colossus Charlie Cresswell. Hammers News can confirm that West Ham considered Chelsea misfit Axel Disasi too, before Igor Julio arrived just before the 7pm deadline. And after Graham Potter played a major role convincing Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa to join the Hammers’ midfield revolution, Igor was also won over by what he heard from the man in the dugout.“First of all, [Potter] gave me the opportunity to come to a big club and told me he would use me, that he would give me the chance I really need,” Igor says, regular game time a must for a man who spent much of last term on the sidelines.”From the first to last day, I’ll give everything on the pitch”Sitting down with our new defender 🗣️— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 2, 2025 View Tweet “That was very convincing. He’s also a very well-known coach. I think it’s important for me, especially at this point in my career, to work with a manager who has so much knowledge of the Premier League.”“I know [West Ham] is a very big club in England. The shirt has some weight to it. And what also attracted me was the fact that West Ham were the first English team to win the UEFA Europa Conference League, and I lost to West Ham [when playing for Fiorentina in 2023]!“So I know it’s a very respected team, and I think it’s the ideal club for what I’m looking for in my career, especially at this moment in my life.”“For me, the most important thing is to make my family, my agents and my friends proud. And also to repay all the trust that everyone at West Ham is placing in me.”