Only a couple of years ago, during happier times for one of the Premier League’s more divisive footballers, this is a chance West Ham United would have seized with both hands.
Not only the Hammers, but most in the top flight.
A striker who hit double figures in two successive Premier League campaigns, ending the second of those seasons with 21 goals across all competitions. A striker once valued at around £80 million, and whom the legendary Carlo Ancelotti once described as the ‘complete’ centre-forward.
Of course, a lot has changed for Dominic Calvert-Lewin since those free-scoring days under the former Real Madrid boss at Goodison Park.
A man seemingly destined to lead the line for England and one of the elite clubs in the country is now a free-agent. Calvert-Lewin’s Everton contract expired on Tuesday.
And not even West Ham want Dominic Calvert-Lewin these days. This is despite the fact West Ham United have spent much of 2025 desperately scouring the market for a new number nine, while seeing a host of leading targets slip through their grasp from Liam Delap to Jonathan David.
Currently, Niclas Fullkrug is West Ham’s only senior centre-forward. Former England frontman Darren Bent believes it should stay that way, too, until a better, fitter, less injury-prone option presents itself.
Darren Bent says West Ham United right to steer clear of Dominic Calvert-Lewin
A spokesman for West Ham’s owners exclusively told Hammers News a few weeks back that there was ‘no truth’ behind the reports suggesting that Calvert-Lewin could end up at the London Stadium.
“The injuries are the problem,” the source said. “When you need him, he’s not available, much like [Callum] Wilson of Newcastle.”
Since that stellar 2020/21 season under Ancelotti, in which Calvert-Lewin found himself linked with mega-money moves to Man United, Arsenal and more, the 28-year-old has missed over 80 games due to a variety of fitness issues.
And, even out of the treatment room, those returns have been diminishing fast.
“I just don’t see why Everton would renew that contract,” Bent, once of Aston Villa, Sunderland and Tottenham, tells talkSPORT. “Even looking at his goals return…
“He’s quite streaky. A batch of goals will come but no consistency. Look at his career. I get [the injuries] but Callum Wilson is a prime example if you look at his numbers…”
Bent says West Ham better off with Niclas Fullkrug
While the Newcastle veteran has remained a pretty reliable source of goals despite his own fitness problems, Calvert-Lewin has scored only 17 times in his last 93 Premier League outings.
“He’s effective, he’s good in the air. If you get the right service to him, he can score goals,” Bent adds. “But if you are centre-forward and your numbers are that [then you have underachieved]. He was getting linked with some big, big clubs as well!
“Give him the right service and I think he will score goals. [But] he is a risk. He doesn’t go somewhere as their first choice, not in the Premier League.
“West Ham, I’d rather Fullkrug!”
Following an injury-interrupted season of his own, Germany international Fullkrug is keen to stay at West Ham and justify the £27 million fee they invested in him a year ago.
The London Stadium outfit did sign a new number nine on Tuesday, though 19-year-old Daniel Cummings is expected to feature for Mark Robins’ Under-21 side initially after arriving from Scottish champions Celtic.
Sporting director Mark Noble is a huge fan of Cummings already, but he is a long-term addition for a team chasing players capable of making a more immediate impact.
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