‘Real blow’ for West Ham transfer plans as Nuno’s £25m top target suffers big injury

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Nuno Espirito Santo certainly seems to have a good idea of what he is looking for regarding potential January reinforcements at West Ham United, in terms of centre-forwards, midfielders and centre-halves.

Hammers News reported in October that Nuno has implored West Ham to sign a striker in the New Year. Presumably, that is regardless of whether Niclas Fullkrug stays or goes, with 33-year-old Callum Wilson and the unproven Callum Marshall his only other options up top.

Nuno Espirito Santo would ideally prefer an athletic, mobile striker, at that.

Give Me Sport reporter Ben Jacobs believes that the West Ham United head coach has placed a speedy, versatile box-to-box midfielder on his January wishlist, too.

One who fits the bill is Ismael Saibari. The PSV Eindhoven star is ‘the best in the Eredivisie’ at present, according to Dutch football pundit Ali Boussaboun, and has ten goals from 17 largely scintillating appearances.

When it comes to an often error-riddled backline, meanwhile, Hammers News can confirm that Lille stopper Alexsandro sits atop Nuno’s shopping list. One wonders if that will have changed, though, in the aftermath of the Brazil international’s injury set-back.

West Ham United see Nuno’s top target Alexsandro suffer big injury at Lille

ESPN Brazil have already reported that Alexsandro has reservations about leaving France for England midway through the campaign.

Having only recently forced his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil plans, the Flamengo graduate was allegedly wary about scuppering his own World Cup hopes with an ill-advised change of scenery.

Yet, a leading transfer source told Hammers News in October that ‘the signs [looked] good’ when the Londoners had initial discussions regarding a potential £25 million deal. Instead, could it be an injury setback which ruins any January move, not to mention his chances of securing a starting spot in the Brazil defence?

Alexsandro has missed the last 12 Ligue 1 and Europa League matches.

And, according to Les Dogues’ head coach Bruno Genesio, a first appearance since mid-September will not be arriving any time soon. The 26-year-old has undergone surgery to correct an issue with his right quadriceps.

Something Genesio describes as a ‘a real blow’. Not only for Lille and Alexsandro, but maybe also for Nuno’s transfer plans at West Ham.

“It’s a setback,” Genesio says. “He won’t be available for a while.”

Lille are yet to confirm exactly how long Alexsandro will be out for. Though medical website Ortho Info claim that a ‘complete recovery’ from such an injury usually takes a minimum of four months.

West Ham ‘unlikely’ to sign Yann Bisseck from Inter Milan

January transfers always carry a degree of risk. In Alexsandro’s case, it may be until February or later that Nuno would have the Brazilian at his disposal, and even longer before he is fully up to speed.

“The Lille player was on Nuno’s list when he arrived and he is the top target,” that source explained a few weeks ago. The West Ham boss’ plan to have Alexsandro signing on the dotted line by the opening days of 2026 are already up in the air.

“Early talks have been held over price and whether the deal can be done and the signs are good. Ideally Nuno wants him in the building in the first week of January as every game is going to be so important.”

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
16	LeedsLeeds	11	3	2	6	10	20	-10	11
17	BurnleyBurnley	11	3	1	7	14	22	-8	10
18	West HamWest Ham	11	3	1	7	13	23	-10	10
19	Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest	11	2	3	6	10	20	-10	9
20	WolvesWolves	11	0	2	9	7	25	-18	2

As a natural left-footer – former Lille coach Paulo Fonseca once said that Alexsandro is faster and physically stronger than Leny Yoro, his teammate – his arrival at the London Stadium would have put even more pressure on Max Kilman to rediscover the form he demonstrated under Nuno at Wolves.

Hammers News have been told that West Ham are unlikely to sign Yann Bisseck from Inter Milan either. The Germany international is another centre-half who has been linked. Bisseck also appears out of reach, albeit for different reasons.

“Bisseck is a player liked by [Inter coach] Cristian Chivu, but he is not a regular starter,” chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey said last Friday. “I am told that Inter would consider a sale, even though they like him.

“[But] he is highly unlikely to be involved in a loan with option, especially with a team in relegation trouble.”