By our count, the number of centre-forwards linked with a January move to Premier League strugglers West Ham United crossed the 30 barrier quite a while ago.
As Niclas Fullkrug arrived in Italy ahead of his move to AC Milan a few days before Christmas, Hammers News provided an extensive list detailing every one of the potential replacements put forward either by club sources, via the media, or through intermediaries.
Of those numerous options, only a handful now feel even slightly realistic two days until the January transfer window truly begins.
Swansea City menace Zan Vipotnik is the pick of West Ham United’s Head of Technical Recruitment and Analysis, Max Hahn. The Nuno Espirito Santo factor could be key if the Hammers go all in on Chris Wood, his former Nottingham Forest talisman.
Strand Larsen will be the best striker West Ham have signed in years. He will save them from relegation… 😍
What do YOU make of this transfer?
And according to Alan Nixon, via his official Patreon page, West Ham have bid for giant Nigerian striker Rafiu Durosinmi. The youngster from Lagos has scored 13 goals this season.
It understood he is very keen to leave Viktoria Plzen in order to follow in the footsteps of fellow Czech-based recruits Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Soucek and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Tony Gale, the Upton Park icon, certainly appears to feel that his old employers will have to settle for a relatively low-cost, low-profile addition. Jorgen Strand Larsen of Wolves, in contrast, has the makings of a pipe dream.
Tony Gale rules out West Ham United signing Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen
Hammers News can confirm that Wolves are demanding £45 million for the rangy Norway international. West Ham have all-but ruled out a January swoop, as a result.
Gale therefore feels that West Ham may be in a bit of a pickle. Lacking the funds to go big on a top target, and also in no real position to lure more ambitious options to the London Stadium.
“The next few games are so important for them,” Gale told Peacock during West Ham’s 1-0 home defeat by Fulham on December 27th when asked about Strand Larsen.
“They have got to be in the frame [for survival], for a striker to be attracted to the club. I’m not sure West Ham have got the money for the sort of signing that was mooted at the start of the season.
“It will be interesting, but you’ve got to keep yourself in the mix to stay up.”
The Wolverhampton Wanderers fans have turned on Strand Larsen of late, questioning his attitude and his application after the former Celta Vigo targetman was priced out of a summer switch to Newcastle.
He has scored only once in 16 Premier League matches this season, and was booed after a limp penalty was saved against Brentford recently.
“They [Wolves] want far too much for a player who has scored just one Premier League goal this season,” the spokesman for West Ham’s owners exclusively tells Hammers News.
If you could SIGN one of these strikers for West Ham right now, who are you picking?
And tell us why…
Souffian El Karouani deal looks likely as striker pursuit drags on
On a more positive note, albeit another left-back is likely to be well down the list of priorities for most Hammers supporters, a deal to bring FC Utrecht ‘Assist King’ Souffian El Karouani to the English capital does appear to be on the cards.
Utrecht owner Frans van Seumeren plans to sell El Karouani in January, with his contract expiring in the summer.
“We have to keep growing. The biggest challenge, and this applies to almost every football club, is the financial side of things. You want to have a balanced budget,” Van Seumeren tells Algemeen Dagblad.
“We could have taken a big step before this season. Everyone knows we could have sold Souffian El Karouani to Russia. The board, shareholders, and the Supervisory Board didn’t want that. Sometimes you have to choose between your morals and making money.
“A club like FC Utrecht sometimes needs a financial boost, but you also have a certain responsibility. If anyone knows Russia, it’s me. So we’ll have to do it differently.
“Of course, we’re trying to get a contract extension. Souffian has always said, ‘FC Utrecht can make money off me’. Hopefully, we’ll reach an amicable agreement. Preferably with a longer contract, otherwise I hope we can manage to sell him in the winter.”
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