The January transfer window opens in three weeks and could be the difference between West Ham staying in the Premier League or being relegated, but the board have made a major admission.
- Hammers News exclusive
It became abundantly clear on the first day of the season that West Ham’s squad was nowhere near good enough for what always promised to be one of the toughest Premier League seasons for decades.
The Hammers were warned by journalists, pundits and fans that this season, more than any other in the last 15 years, would be fiercely competitive.
The three promoted clubs meant business as they contributed to a busy summer of spending across the board which set a new Premier League record outlay on transfers.
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Most felt the Hammers needed to go out and sign a quality, pacy, powerful striker as well as a new centre-back and a creative midfielder as a minimum.
Deadline day came and went with only Igor Julio arriving on loan from Brighton.
Fans were angry and West Ham got a rude awakening when they were battered 3-0 away at big spending, newly-promoted Sunderland on the opening day.
Now, 15 games in, the Black Cats sit ninth, a full 10 points and nine places above the Irons, who look set to be in a relegation scrap until the bitter end this season.
When the January transfer window swings open, West Ham United have just over four weeks to save their season.
The club has pledged to back Nuno Espirito Santo with signings in what is the last chance saloon for avoiding demotion to the Championship.
Nuno identified signing a striker as his number one priority just one game into his Hammers tenure.
The Hammers leaked their January window plans to a top Sky Sports reporter recently, with the club targeting at least three signings in different positions.
Now the West Ham board has made a major transfer window admission and revealed their big concerns.
Signing quality players in January is a difficult task as it is. Evan Ferguson was the perfect example last year for the Hammers.
Would you take Adama Traore at West Ham for £5m, or who would you sign instead? Let us know in the comments…
January window tough but West Ham’s record is good
On the flip side, some of West Ham’s best business has come in January down the years, with Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek, Jesse Lingard, Demba Ba and Dean Ashton just some examples of players arriving in the winter window.
Persuading players to sign up for a relegation battle – and a tight one between just two or three teams at that – complicates matters.
The Hammers know they must somehow pull off a few game-changing signings or they risk falling off the Premier League gravy train.
A top football finance expert revealed West Ham’s January window transfer budget to Hammers News at the weekend.
That proved money is there to spend and the Hammers will also likely look to the loan market with options or obligations to buy included.
West Ham fans will expect to see transfer action from the off when January 1st rolls around.
Especially as it has been clear for some time that new players are desperately needed to survive.
Hammers News put it to the club’s owners whether they were confident about making signings with the window opening in just three weeks.
The honest response was anything but confident.
West Ham board’s major transfer admission and big concerns
And while West Ham’s hierarchy have been encouraged by recent form, they also revealed their big concerns about what’s to come.
“I would say we are hopeful rather than confident of making early signings in the January window,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s board exclusively told Hammers News.
“It is just one defeat in the last six league games and nine points, which is encouraging.
“But it is Villa then Man City next so really tough challenges ahead.”
West Ham’s board also reiterated their concern over losing two of their top players to AFCON after the Villa game.
Just as the fixture list eases up a touch heading into January, West Ham will lose two of their most important players to AFCON in the shape of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf.
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The pair will go to AFCON for up to six weeks from January with DR Congo and Senegal among the favourites to go deep into the tournament.
West Ham’s board’s previously admit concerns about losing Wan-Bissaka and Diouf.
As two of the only players in the team with any pace, it is easy to see why they are so worried.
Now they have doubled down on those fears.
“Sadly we lose both full backs and it comes when we have some very winnable games on paper,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners told Hammers News.
Kyle Walker-Peters can fill in for one of them while young full-back Ezra Mayers made his debut at left-back in the 1-1 draw at Brighton in what was clearly a trial run from Nuno ahead of losing Diouf.
Igor Julio was not in the squad for the Man United game amid rumours his loan could be cancelled in January.
But he has played at left-back in the past and could be another option.
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