West Ham United have responded to claims made by a national journalist about their feelings on Nuno Espirito Santo while a bid is in for Adama Traore.
- Hammers News exclusive
As the dust settles on yet another crushing West Ham defeat, the finger-pointing will inevitably begin.
The Hammers are on their third manager since this time last year.
Now speculation has started whirring that the latest, Nuno Espirito Santo, may already be on his last legs.
There had been a definite improvement in West Ham’s competitiveness and resilience when Nuno replaced Graham Potter.
It looked like the Hammers had turned a corner with wins over Newcastle and Burnley coupled with some decent draws.
Finger-pointing starts in corridors of power at West Ham
But it has proved to be a false dawn with West Ham now winless in seven Premier League games, culminating in the 1-0 defeat to Fulham at the London Stadium.
West Ham never seem to get the kind of new manager bounce or honeymoon period often enjoyed by other clubs.
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There has not been the kind of big spike in performances and results many expected when Nuno was appointed.
The Portuguese has an authoritative aura about him and seemed to be getting somewhere by bringing back family values and togetherness in the dressing room.
Three defeats on the spin have killed any momentum and positivity around east London, though.
So much in fact that most are now writing West Ham off as relegation certainties.
The Hammers must somehow go from having won just three of their 18 games this season to winning at least eight or nine of their remaining 20 to have a realistic hope of survival.
Some fans believe a change of manager may be needed as a desperate last roll of the dice to spark a turnaround.
Others feel the problems could be solved with the right signings in the January transfer window.
Any new arrivals would be needed sooner rather than later in order to take advantage of their potential impact on as many of the remaining games as possible.
And that, it seems, is where the first signs of real friction are emerging out of West Ham.
West Ham board frustrated with Nuno over transfers
The Irons have been linked with a plethora of targets in the last couple of months.
That speculation is only going to intensify when the January window swings open on Friday.
Earlier this week, a prominent national journalist claimed West Ham’s hierarchy are unhappy with Nuno over transfers.
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Nuno stated he’ll only focus on signings when the transfer window is actually open.
That understandably concerned fans who feel West Ham could be too far adrift by then unless signings are readied and available to help the team over a run of crucial games in the next month or so.
Jason Burt claimed there have been murmurings behind the scenes with the club’s top brass unhappy at the lack of clarity coming from Nuno about what, and who, he wants to sign in January.
It was the first sign of the blame game sparking into life in the corridors of power at the London Stadium.
Now the West Ham board have admitted frustrations with Nuno as a bid is made for Adama Traore.
Hammers News put it to the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners whether any signings were anywhere close with the window opening soon.
Especially with Niclas Fullkrug having been shipped out to AC Milan on loan.
The response proved the journalist’s claim over Christmas is indeed accurate.
“Sadly the manager is very slow to approve players,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s board exclusively told Hammers News.
“And the board can’t bring in players that he doesn’t want.”
West Ham make first bid for Traore
When pressed whether Traore was a player the manager wants and could be on the way, the spokesman was tight-lipped, responding: “Sorry we never comment on specific players, in or out.”
But Hammers News understands from a leading transfer source that a first bid has been made for Fulham winger Traore.
When the head coach first arrived, Hammers News revealed Traore is a player Nuno wants at West Ham in January.
Now Hammers News understands a first bid of around £3.5m has been made to Fulham for Traore, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
With players away at AFCON, Fulham are reluctant to lose Traore early in the window.
The Cottagers are said to want around £5m so negotiations may meet somewhere in the middle on the proviso West Ham get the player sooner rather than later.
Traore has been inconsistent across his career with his end product a major issue no manager has been able to solve.
However, the Spaniard did play the best football of his career under Nuno at Wolves.
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