West Ham’s striker hunt has taken another twist after a major triple transfer update revealed a brand new forward target in Nuno Espirito Santo’s sights.
The January transfer window is now less than three weeks away and West Ham intend to be busy.
January is always a difficult window in which to sign quality players, especially for a club battling relegation like the Hammers.
However, some of West Ham’s best business down the years has been in the winter window from Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek to Jesse Lingard, Demba Ba and Dean Ashton.
The Irons have no choice but to go out and spend as they sit at last chance saloon to save their Premier League lives and stay on the gravytrain.
Hammers on the hunt for January signings
West Ham state that changes to financial rules are good for the club – with record losses looming in accounts set to be released this month.
The West Ham board have vowed to back Nuno Espirito Santo with improvements.
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The club’s board delivered a major transfer update this week exclusively to Hammers News, revealing they are ‘hopeful rather than confident’ West Ham will make signings in January.
There have been big question marks over who is calling the shots on targets and deals.
West Ham confirmed who is responsible for transfers and addressed the influence of super agent Jorge Mendes in another Hammers News exclusive this week.
The priority, from the day Nuno arrived, has been to sign at least one new striker in January.
But the Hammers leaked transfer plans to a top Sky Sports journalist last month which suggested they ideally want a defender and midfielder as a bare minimum too.
Now a major triple West Ham transfer update has unmasked a brand new striker target in Nuno’s sights.
With Nuno looking to make additions that can help save West Ham’s season, the Hammers have been monitoring multiple options — but now there is a fresh name in the frame.
The club has stated it is looking at both loan and permanent deals.
Now new claims give a clearer picture of where West Ham intend to strengthen and one departure that is edging closer.
One of the big reasons Nuno is on the hunt for a new striker is flop Niclas Fullkrug.
The Germany international has been another disastrous forward signing since arriving for £27m from Dortmund last year.
One out, two in as major triple West Ham update emerges
West Ham want to ship Fullkrug out and the ageing, immobile, injury-prone striker wants to leave too.
Now German journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed overnight that Fullkrug is in talks over a return to his homeland with Wolfsburg.
But the Hammers want to offload him to Italy, where they can get the guarantee of a permanent deal and fee.
Plettenberg says talks between Fullkrug, his management, and Wolfsburg are ‘ongoing’.
“A winter move to Wolfsburg is possible, with the club planning a loan,” Plettenberg states.
“However, West Ham expect a transfer to Italy. West Ham still pushing for a permanent winter move, at least a loan that includes a realistic obligation to buy.”
It is not just up front West Ham are planning to strengthen, though.
Disasi has change of heart over West Ham move?
Although the team has been much improved defensively under Nuno, keeping clean sheets has been a real problem.
To that end West Ham are monitoring Axel Disasi once again ahead of January.
The Hammers wanted Disasi when he was recommended by sporting director Mark Noble while at Monaco.
Chelsea got there first but Disasi has barely featured for them and the French centre-back is surplus to requirements.
West Ham tried to sign Disasi on deadline day in the summer but he was reportedly reluctant.
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Now the 27-year-old has had a big change of heart it seems.
Because Caught Offside claim West Ham are back in for Disasi and he is now open to the move for more consistent minutes.
The report states that Nuno is keen to add more depth at centre-back and wants Premier League experience.
West Ham believe they can offer him a regular role and that appeals to Disasi.
With Fullkrug on the way out, the Hammers have been linked with a host of forwards.
But now a new name is in Nuno’s sights in the shape of exciting Brazilian Clayton.
According to TEAMtalk, the club has been watching Rio Ave’s 26-year-old forward Clayton, who is joint top scorer in Nuno’s native Portugal.
Clayton scored 18 goals in 37 appearances for Rio Ave when on loan from Vasco da Gama last season.
That sealed him a permanent move and he has improved his impressive scoring rate of a goal every other game to 10 in 13 so far this season.
Clayton also has three assists, making it a goal contribution per game.
The tricky forward is known for his finishing, dribbling, speed on the counter-attack, drawing fouls, and being a major goal threat.
So it is easy to see why Nuno is heavily interested.
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