Sports
West Ham hold ‘informal’ talks for striker who’s spoken to Frank about joining Spurs
West Ham have held loose talks to sign a striker who’s allegedly spoken with Thomas Frank about joining Tottenham, according to a report this week.
West Ham identify striker targets ahead of January
West Ham are accelerating their pursuit of centre-forwards ahead of the January transfer window, with Nuno Espírito Santo making the signing of a number nine one of his absolute priorities.
The Hammers currently languish in the relegation zone with just 13 points from 15 Premier League games, having scored a meagre 17 goals all season, even if they’ve enjoyed a recent mini-revival under Nuno.
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West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far |
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Sunderland 3-0 West Ham |
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West Ham 1-5 Chelsea |
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Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham |
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West Ham 0-3 Tottenham |
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West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace |
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Everton 1-1 West Ham |
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Arsenal 2-0 West Ham |
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West Ham 0-2 Brentford |
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Leeds 2-1 West Ham |
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West Ham 3-1 Newcastle |
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West Ham 3-2 Burnley |
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Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham |
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West Ham 0-2 Liverpool |
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Man United 1-1 West Ham |
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Brighton 1-1 West Ham |
Niclas Füllkrug’s potentially imminent departure has intensified the need for another option upfront, with the German flop expected to complete a return to the Bundesliga after managing just three goals in 29 appearances since his £27 million arrival from Dortmund last year.
Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee is one option under consideration by West Ham.
The Dutch forward has struggled for opportunities under Ruben Amorim and was previously labeled a “future West Ham player” last year, and you can make a case that Zirkzee’s versatilitywould suit Nuno’s system far better than Fullkrug.
West Ham are also monitoring Midtjylland sensation Franculino Dju, who has scored a pretty incredible 21 goals in 30 total appearances this season.
The 21-year-old represents a younger, longer-term investment compared to more experienced alternatives, while Union Saint-Gilloise’s Promise David continues to attract West Ham interest after his impressive performances for the Belgian champions.
West Ham ‘set to sign’ prolific Tottenham starlet as Mark Noble seals ‘coup’ of a deal
The Hammers sporting director played a key transfer role.
A bigger name option who’s been repeatedly linked comes in the form of ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney.
The Al-Ahli striker, who’s been on fire in Saudi Arabia with 50 goal contributions (42 goals, eight assists) in 62 appearances, is reportedly under catching West Ham’s eye prior to January.
Toney has only managed to make one England squad since moving to the Middle East last year, and with the World Cup looming, reports suggest he could be tempted to move back to the Premier League.
West Ham hold ‘informal’ talks to sign Ivan Toney
According to some media sources, Toney has even spoken to Frank directly about a potential move to Tottenham next month.
However, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, both Spurs and the Irons could be set for disappointment.
Writing for TEAMtalk, Bailey says that West Ham have held ‘informal’ talks to sign Toney, but a move back to England for the 29-year-old hinges on Thomas Tuchel.
The Three Lions boss wasn’t impressed by Toney the last time he was called up in the summer, so the prospect of him playing his way into the World Cup squad is already slim at best.
Because of this, the forward and his camp aren’t anticipating a call-up, regardless of where he moves from now until the squad selection.
This lack of hope threatens to quash any hope of West Ham, or indeed Spurs, signing Toney, with a potentially huge financial bill also coming as a major roadblock.
If Toney returns to England under two years after his Saudi move, the attacker would be forced to pay massive taxes, but if he waits until the summer, the fees would be more kind in that regard.
It therefore makes more sense for the player to wait until later in 2026 to consider a move back to the UK, by which point Spurs or West Ham may have already signed their desired new target man.
Taking this into account, a potential move to the London Stadium for Toney is seen as a long shot.
