West Ham have issued a response to reports claiming free agent striker Emmanuel Dennis is set to join the club after a big blow to Niclas Fullkrug.
- Hammers News exclusive
West Ham seem to be cursed when it comes to signing strikers.
A staggering total of 55 forwards have been signed by West Ham since David Sullivan’s arrival as majority owner in 2010.
Very few have been genuine success stories in the 15-and-a-half years since.
Even those who have been seem to either get injured, fizzle out like a firework or do well and move on quickly.
Fans are convinced the ‘West Ham striker curse’ is real and there has certainly been plenty of evidence to support that theory in recent seasons.
West Ham curse strikes again after new Fullkrug blow
Niclas Fullkrug became striker signing number 53 last summer, arriving in a £27m deal from Dortmund.
The move raised eyebrows because the big German has a lengthy record of serious injuries.
And he has added more injuries than goals to his record since joining the Hammers.
Fullkrug spent six of the nine months of last season out with two big injuries.
He was injured again during the September international break.
Now Nuno Espirito Santo has suffered a major blow after Fullkrug sustained yet another injury in West Ham training.
The 32-year-old has torn a group of muscles in his thigh and is expected to be out for several weeks at least.
Evan Ferguson became striker signing number 54 when he joined on loan back in January.
But the move was a disaster as he failed to register a single shot on target in five months, let alone a goal.
In the summer fans pleaded with the club to go out and sign a pacy and powerful young striker.
Graham Potter stated publicly he did not feel West Ham needed to go out and spend big to sign a new forward.
West Ham then went out and brought in ageing, injury-prone free agent Callum Wilson for nothing.
West Ham respond to claim Emmanuel Dennis is signing
With Fullkrug out and Nuno not fancying Callum Wilson thus far, it has been claimed striker signing number 56 is firmly in the Hammers’ sights.
Now West Ham have responded to a claim that free agent striker Emmanuel Dennis is signing after the latest Fullkrug blow.
The Daily Mail claims the Hammers have made tentative enquiries about signing 27-year-old Nigeria star Dennis on a free transfer imminently.
Dennis, who played on loan at Blackburn last season, is available for nothing after terminating his contract with Nottingham Forest by mutual consent in the summer.
The links make sense given he was under contract at Forest during Nuno’s time at the City Ground and West Ham’s rather desperate situation with their Premier League lives on the line.
Not to mention the fact Dennis has been linked with a move to the London Stadium in the past.
Timing is also significant as Hammers now face a run of crucial matches which could go a long way to deciding their fate come what May.
While Dennis is still only 27, he has barely played any football in the last three years having shone during a spell with Watford.
It would be the kind of short-term signing that West Ham fans have been so critical of during the latest uprising against the owners.
Hammers issue emphatic response to agent-driven Dennis claims
At the same time, desperate times call for desperate measures and West Ham may have little other choice.
Hammers News put the Dennis deal claims to a top source at West Ham.
And the emphatic response is actually refreshing to hear.
Nuno is clearly not panicking and intends to aim much higher than Dennis when the January transfer window rolls around amid links to Joshua Zirkzee, Gabriel Jesus, Vitor Roque and Endrick to name but a few.
Because Dennis’ agent is desperately trying to push him on the Hammers but neither manager nor the club are interested.
“There is zero truth to the Dennis claims,” the top West Ham source told Hammers News.
“His agent is trying to push him on us, but the manager and the club have no interest whatsoever.”
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