There has not been much to shout about at West Ham of late but Nuno Espirito Santo has received his biggest boost since joining the club.
It has been a rollercoaster three months at West Ham for Nuno Espirito Santo, on and off the pitch.
The Hammers are looking nailed on for relegation if there is not a drastic turnaround in form and results in the second half of the season.
The January transfer window opens on Friday and represents the first chance for Nuno to bring his own players in after inheriting a mess from Graham Potter.
It will also very much be last chance saloon for West Ham in saving themselves from relegation.
Given the gravity of the situation, the Hammers need to have signings lined up and ready to hit the ground running.
West Ham friction eases with good news on transfers
But that is where the first signs of friction have emerged behind-the-scenes.
The West Ham board voiced frustration with Nuno over transfers this week, saying he is ‘very slow’ at approving players for the club to sign.
Imagine if Nuno were to be sacked…😮
Who would you want West Ham to replace him with and why?
A bid has gone in to Fulham for Adama Traore, who Nuno has wanted since he arrived, but there was little else to write home about in terms of incomings.
Until now.
With Niclas Fullkrug shipped out to AC Milan on loan for the rest of the season, Nuno is left with Callum Wilson as his only senior striker option.
But the Hammers boss has been making a clear point to the West Ham ownership that he doesn’t think Wilson is the answer as he continually snubs him for a starting spot.
The lack of strength in depth up front is a major reason why the Irons are in the relegation zone.
Poor finishing has cost West Ham several wins of late, particularly against Fulham.
It has been all doom and gloom since that late 1-0 defeat. But now there seems to be some light at the end of a dark tunnel.
Because Nuno has received his biggest boost yet as a striker saviour demands to join West Ham and the board leak their transfer plans.
Two prominent football journalists at BBC Sport have spoken to their contacts in the West Ham hierarchy about the club’s January window plans.
And what they have been told is very encouraging indeed.
Striker saviour demands West Ham move and board leak plans
While some may feel it is too little, too late – the Hammers have vowed to back Nuno with signings, insisting ‘the money will be found’.
BBC Sport’s senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel and chief football news reporter Simon Stone have revealed the West Ham owners believe Nuno will turn the situation round if the right changes can be made in January.
What would YOUR ideal January transfer window look like? 💰
And which changes would you make to our XI?
“They are vowing the money will be found to make new signings,” the duo report on BBC Sport.
At least one of those signings will be a striker.
The club has made it clear for some time now that at least one new forward was the priority for January.
A number of strikers have been linked both domestically and from Brazil.
Persuading clubs to part with players in January is difficult enough as it is.
Luring the players to sign up for a relegation battle makes that task even tougher.
Add in the layer of friction with West Ham’s board revealing Nuno is slow to approve signings and it does not bode well for the Hammers.
Nuno hit back at the West Ham board criticism with his own transfer warning ahead of the must-win game against Brighton.
Now it seems the penny has dropped.
Because according to Alan Nixon on his Patreon, West Ham have bid for giant Nigerian striker Rafiu Durosinmi – and he is demanding his club, Viktoria Plzen, let him join the Hammers.
Hammers backing Nuno with funds and Durosinmi wants to join
Nixon states that West Ham have bid £11m for Durosinmi as they look for a Premier League saviour.
West Ham will need to up their offer for the technically gifted forward because Stuttgart have made a superior offer of £12m for Durosinmi.
Other clubs, including West Ham’s Italian cousins Lazio, are said to be in for Durosinmi too but the player wants to join the Hammers and ‘would jump at the move’.
He is said to be waiting for Plzen to accept West Ham’s offer after telling the club’s ownership he is keen to go.
Plzen are ‘open’ to selling and it seems West Ham’s striker signing hopes have taken a big step forward ahead of the window opening on Friday.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
