West Ham don’t have huge amount to spend on transfers now the window is open but the good news is they may not have to.
There are few Premier League clubs in more desperate need of signings than West Ham.
Quite how the club find themselves in this position after spending £155m on nine new players in the summer is anyone’s guess.
That looks like it may well have consequences for Julen Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten.
They have already paid the price by being demoted when it comes to West Ham’s recruitment.
Majority owner David Sullivan has taken back control of Hammers transfers.
The manager – be that Lopetegui or his replacement – and Steidten will have “an input”.
But Sullivan will now have ultimate control as he looks for “smarter, better deals”.
West Ham fully intend to do business this month if the right deals are there to be made.
Goodness knows they need to with the season in danger of becoming a meaningless fight for midtable mediocrity.
The Hammers have been linked with a host of strikers, midfielders and defenders.
A number West Ham players, including Guido Rodriguez, Niclas Fullkrug, Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus have also been linked with moves away.
The Hammers will consider selling unsettled Fullkrug if they recoup their original outlay.
Kudus – who has an £85m release clause active in the summer – will only be sold in January if a club pays £100m.
West Ham recently told Hammers News the club has reached its limit for PSR.
And that sales or new investment would be key to making signings.
But while it won’t help for the second half of the season, deals can be done for a number of players who have been the subject of longstanding interest from the Irons .
West Ham can now agree deals to sign three top Steidten targets for free.
As of today, three stars who have been in West Ham’s sights for some time, are now eligible to negotiate pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs.
West Ham can literally solve their three major issues without parting with a single penny in transfer fees.
Up front, Lille and Canada striker Jonathan David can now discuss terms over joining for free in the summer.
Versatile David has been on West Ham’s radar for some time.
Juventus were even convinced he was joining West Ham at one stage.
David has remained with Lille, though, with clubs all too aware he is out of contract in the summer and, therefore, rumoured to be available for a knockdown price in January.
Give Me Sport revealed West Ham were offered the chance to sign the 24-year-old striker in the summer, but turned it down in the hope of a bargain deal.
David, who has already scored 17 goals and laid on two assists in 21 games for Lille this season, is exactly the profile of player Hammers fans wanted to see arrive.
Journalist Ben Jacobs recently revealed David is one of three strikers West Ham have on a shortlist.
Competition will likely be fierce but West Ham now have the opportunity to stake their claim to sign him for free in the summer. Who knows perhaps a cut-price January deal could even be agreed if Lille want to salvage something from the situation.
In midfield another reported Hammers target can now agree a free transfer move from the same club.
Former Man United star Angel Gomes, who recently made his breakthrough in the England side, can also agree a pre-contract with a foreign club.
Intelligent box-to-box midfielder Gomes was the first player Steidten and Lopetegui wanted to sign in the summer.
Gomes is extremely versatile and has been used in a variety of positions at Lille.
As one of their most consistent performers, Lille will be loathe to lose the 24-year-old.
But talks over a new deal have been off the table for some time with Gomes said to be keen on a return to the Premier League.
The Edmonton-born star came through the ranks at Old Trafford but only made a handful of Premier League appearances before seeking first team football at Lille.
That crucially means Gomes would also count as a homegrown player should West Ham manage to agree a deal.
Despite committing £72m to sign Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo, West Ham are still struggling defensively.
That is as much to do with a lack of protection from midfield as anything else.
West Ham desperately wanted to sign another centre-back before the summer window closed.
The club even tried to bring one in on a free after the window had closed.
Well another longstanding target of West Ham – and in particular Steidten – is also now able to agree a free transfer move in the shape of Jonathan Tah.
The Bayer Leverkusen centre-back has been linked with a move to West Ham in the last few windows.
He was a man mountain against the Hammers as Leverkusen knocked them out of the Europa League last season.
Bayern Munich have been linked with the giant German centre-back.
But they won’t be able to talk to Tah officially this month as he can only speak to foreign clubs.
Tah confirmed a few months ago he fully intends to leave “for a new experience”.
Steidten knows all about Tah having been Leverkusen’s sporting director during Tah’s time at the club.
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