While Niclas Fullkrug’s move from West Ham United to AC Milan is edging closer by the day, finding a replacement may be the hard task facing Nuno Espirito Santo’s Premier League strugglers.
Ivan Toney is staying in Saudi Arabia. Joshua Zirkzee is keen to fight for his place at Manchester United.
Endrick is set to join Lyon on loan from Real Madrid. Hammers News have been told that Al-Hilal have rebuffed an approach from Marcos Leonardo, while West Ham United chairman David Sullivan has reservations about buying Josh Sargent from Norwich or Haji Wright from Coventry City, having been burned before by overpriced Championship acquisitions.
With that in mind, while recruitment chief Max Hahn has recommended Swansea sharpshooter Zan Vipotnik, he may be up against it convincing Sullivan to free up the funds required.
How do YOU feel about those Zan Vipotnik links? 🤔
Do West Ham need to make more use of the EFL market?
Did we mention FC Midtjylland talisman Franculino Dju is facing four months out after undergoing surgery?
So, although AC Milan are set to sign Fullkrug in a deal which could become permanent to the tune of around £12 million, replacements already seem in pretty short supply before the window even opens.
And while Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa is doing his best to urge Cruzeiro teammate Kaio Jorge to reject any approach from the Premier League, it appears that the Brazil international will not need much convincing.
Gabriel Barbosa is begging West Ham United target Kaio Jorge to stay in Brazil
Hammers News can confirm that Kaio Jorge was put forward to West Ham by intermediaries back in October.
Brazilian publication RTI Esporte add that West Ham told Cruzeiro they are willing to spend £22 million bringing the one-time Juventus starlet back across the Atlantic.
However, having struggled to get a game in Serie A, Kaio Jorge is in no rush to pursue another stab at European football.
“I keep bothering Kaio Jorge. I tell him, ‘Stay, don’t leave. Stay, stay, stay!’,” Gabriel Barbosa, formerly of Inter Milan and Benfica, says on the Popdah podcast.
“Because we, as players, can change [the narrative]. And the kids coming through the academy can then say, ‘I want to play for Cruzeiro because I want to be like Kaio Jorge’. Not, ‘I want to go to England and, after that, I want to come back to Brazil.’
“Why shouldn’t he stay at Cruzeiro forever? Why can’t you stay at Cruzeiro forever?”
Niclas Fullkrug is Milan-bound! ✈️ 🇮🇹
What deal would you have been happy with? And who should replace him?
Kaio Jorge makes it clear that he has no plans to leave Cruzeiro
Fortunately for Gabriel Barbosa, Kaio Jorge is on the same page.
After winning the Brazilian Serie A Golden Boot for 2025 – he scored 21 in the league and 26 in all competitions – Jorge is intent on defending his crown come 2026.
“To be honest, I’m not even thinking about [the transfer rumours]. I hope to be playing in the Copa Libertadores here. But that’s for the board to decide,” a bullish Kaio Jorge said recently. “I leave it in their hands to define the next step.
“My heart is very happy here. Today, I am very happy at Cruzeiro. Football is dynamic, full of opportunities. I hope to continue scoring goals and stay for a long time.
“If ‘Pedrinho’ [president Pedro Laurenco] wants to renew, we will sit down and talk. I’m very happy and it’s a source of pride to score goals wearing this shirt.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
