As Niclas Fullkrug jets in to undergo medical tests and put pen to paper with Serie A giants AC Milan, the question at West Ham United turns to who will replace him up top for the Premier League strugglers?
The window is not even open yet, of course, but that does not mean the Hammers are not well underway in pursuit of a successor.
Niclas Fullkrug was pictured arriving in Italy on Tuesday. Milan are set to sign the Germany international on loan, with a purchase clause worth just £4.4 million highlighting just how dramatically his value has fallen during a miserable year-and-a-half with West Ham United.
West Ham have many irons in the fire, but various links are growing cold already. Cruzeiro rejected a bid for Kaio Jorge this month, while Al-Hilal rebuffed a £20 million approach for Marcos Leonardo.
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But Hammers News can now confirm that Head of Technical Recruitment and Analysis Max Hahn has selected Swansea City’s Zan Vipotnik as his go-to January solution.
This is news to Vitor Matos, though, the new man in the dugout at the not-so imaginatively named Swansea.com Stadium.
Swansea City boss Vitor Matos plays down Zan Vipotnik to West Ham United links
Speaking to Wales Online, a man who celebrated Premier League glory alongside Jurgen Klopp as part of the Liverpool staff in 2020 was asked for the first time about West Ham’s interest in his Slovenian sharpshooter.
Matos knows nothing of any approach from the Hammers at this stage, though that could change when 2026 begins a week from now.
“So far, nothing,” Matos said. “Just a rumour.”
Hammers News have already confirmed that owner David Sullivan has reservations about Championship additions. One of the biggest obstacles facing Max Hahn, then, may be the man in the chairman’s seat.
Furthermore, links with Norwich’s Josh Sargent have not gone down too well with many of those on the London Stadium terraces. Targeting strikers from the second tier, some fear, may be a tell-tale sign of a club ‘planning for relegation’.
On the other hand, FA Cup winners Crystal Palace are living proof of the value that can be found in the Championship market. Adam Wharton, Michael Olise and Ebere Eze all joined from the second-tier, while Marc Guehi made his name during a loan spell in South Wales.
Kaelan Casey will not be returning to the Hammers in January
Speaking of a certain Crystal Palace centre-back, West Ham’s own Kaelan Casey has earned comparisons with Guehi during his own stint in Swansea white. Casey is yet to force his way into Matos’ XI following his appointment in November, though.
“At the moment they all will stay,” Matos added when asked if any of his current loan legion will leave ahead of schedule.
Casey, then, will not be suffering the Lewis Orford treatment.
Nuno confirms Niclas Fullkrug’s AC Milan switch before Fulham clash
West Ham host Fulham in their first match after Christmas. Nuno confirmed during a press conference on Tuesday that Fullkrug is on his way out the door.
Callum Wilson will be the only senior centre-forward at his disposal, then, when Marco Silva’s side come to town.
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“We wish him well. Clearly it was not working and we want to wish him well,” Nuno said of Fullkrug.
“We have a lot of things to think about. [Fullkrug suffered from] small injuries, and he never really got going over consecutive games.”
“Now is the moment to focus on Fulham. We are working and when the moment comes, decisions will be made [on signing a replacement].”
The ‘exceptional’ Zan Vipotnik is a bonafide ‘XG’ monster who appears destined to attract plenty more interest as long as he maintains his current ruthless streak. Swansea’s number nine has scored 10 Championship goals from an ‘expected goals’ tally of less than four.
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