Tensions appear to be surfacing behind the scenes at West Ham as senior figures are reportedly unhappy with Nuno Espírito Santo over transfers with the club’s Premier League future in the balance.
The January transfer window opens one week today and the mounting pressure appears to be getting to the hierarchy at West Ham.
The winter window is always a difficult time to sign quality players.
But getting it right this season is more important than at any time in the last 15 years if West Ham are to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
There have been some terrible January signings in east London down the years.
But there is hope for the Hammers too as some of the club’s best signings have been lured in the winter window from Dean Ashton to Demba Ba, Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Jesse Lingard.
West Ham need the next Lingard or Bowen in January
Nuno Espirito Santo has a mountain to climb with the Hammers stuck in the bottom three, effectively six points adrift of safety due to a vastly inferior goal difference.
The Irons are entering their most crucial stage of the season with a host of winnable fixtures coinciding with the huge opportunity the January window presents.
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Earlier this month West Ham confirmed Nuno and the club’s scouts are in charge of transfers.
The Hammers also made it clear Nuno’s super-agent ally Jorge Mendes will not have a major influence on deals contrary to reports.
Under-fire majority owner David Sullivan has reprised his role as West Ham’s de facto director of football since the departures of former technical director Tim Steidten and the head of recruitment who followed him, Kyle Macaulay.
The Hammers laid the blame for last year’s botched £155m rebuild firmly at Steidten’s door when he was dismissed last January.
Fans have blamed the owners for the club’s terrible recruitment of both players and managers amongst a host of other grievances.
West Ham need to be on the same page from manager to owners for the January window if the club is to sign any players who can help make the difference.
But with the stakes high it seems the pressure is starting to tell and cracks already beginning to appear internally it seems.
West Ham chiefs unhappy with Nuno as blame game begins
Because West Ham chiefs are unhappy with Nuno over transfers as the blame game begins according to a top journalist.
As different factions start to point fingers over recruitment ahead of the window opening it does not bode well.
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Does he have a point or is he simply deluding himself?
And the growing unrest will raise fresh questions about alignment at the top of the club and whether West Ham can steady the ship before another managerial appointment fails miserably.
Ahead of facing Fulham in a must-win game, the Hammers’ head coach was asked about transfers.
In response, Nuno made a ludicrous transfer window claim which, Hammers News warned, could relegate West Ham.
Because the Portuguese insisted he has not thought about signings and won’t do so until the window actually opens.
Given the Hammers need signings through the door as early as possible in January, many fans have argued Nuno’s approach borders on negligible with West Ham’s Premier League lives on the line.
And it is not just fans who have been baffled by Nuno’s transfer stance according to The Telegraph’s Jason Burt.
The journalist claims there are murmurings behind the scenes at West Ham since the meek 3-0 surrender to Man City last time out.
It is claimed WhatsApp messages and emails or ‘recrimination’ have been pinging around the corridors of power at West Ham with Nuno’s camp pointing to a lack of squad depth to keep the team competitive.
Journalist: Board waiting for clarity from Nuno on transfers
But the finger-pointing has started in earnest with Burt claiming the club’s top brass are not happy at the lack of clarity coming from Nuno about what and who he wants to sign in January.
“There was a growing sense of recrimination in the air with serious questions being asked about the state of the squad and what Nuno Espírito Santo actually wants in the forthcoming January window. And what can be done,” Burt states.
“At the same time there are counter-claims that the head coach himself has not been yet decisive in communicating what – and who – he prefers to sign in the fight to keep West Ham up.
“It has also been pointed out that Nuno knew the strength of the ageing squad when he took over and should have elicited more of a response. They were 19th then, back in September, and are 18th now and there has been barely a bounce.”
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