West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo has reportedly made his feelings about recruitment crystal clear to the board ahead of January, with the Portuguese adamant that they need to strengthen multiple areas of the squad.
West Ham told by Nuno to make three signings in January
Second bottom after conceding more Premier League goals than any other side so far, losing six of their first eight matches, West Ham are staring relegation in the face if they don’t improve quickly.
Nuno is yet to win his first game as manager since taking over from Graham Potter in September, and they looked completely bereft of ideas in their last outing against Brentford at the London Stadium.
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
West Ham fielded a much-changed line-up to face the Bees, which included a host of men playing out of position, and Nuno’s team selection for the 2-0 defeat certainly raised plenty of eyebrows.
They were second best all over the pitch and barely threatened the away side at all, barring a decent attempt from winger Jarrod Bowen, with the January window looking more and more like Nuno’s potential lifeline.
According to reports this week, Nuno has urged West Ham chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to sign a defender, midfielder and forward in the winter (GiveMeSport) as three key positions to address.
Defensively, Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo had a nightmare against Brentford. While Igor Julio has impressed in training lately and could be recalled to the West Ham squad to face Leeds, especially after Konstantinos Mavropanos’ injury, the need for another option is evident.
In midfield, Nuno is believed to want a box-to-box engine room technician who can inject some pace, with internal talks held over a potential move for Chelsea star Andrey Santos among others (GiveMeSport).
Out of all West Ham’s glaring weaknesses, you don’t need an expert to tell you that they’re sorely lacking a reliable number nine who they can rely on as a consistent goalscoring threat.
Niclas Füllkrug’s injury nightmare since joining from Borussia Dortmund threatens to add the German to a long list of failed West Ham striker signings, and it is believed they’re already moving for alternatives.
West Ham have reportedly spoken to Real Madrid about signing Endrick on loan, while journalist Alan Nixon reported earlier this week that the east Londoners are considering ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney on a temporary deal too.
While their goalkeeping department demands the least attention, it is now being reported that West Ham have a chance to sign yet another big-name on loan.
West Ham offered Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on loan
That man is Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.
The Catalans captain has barely featured since Hansi Flick took charge in 2024, having suffered various injury problems, but ter Stegen is expected to be back around December — on the eve of the next transfer window.
With Joan Garcia now seizing the number one spot, Barça have told their club legend that he’s free to leave in January for more game time, informing ter Stegen’s camp that they should start looking for a new landing spot.
According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, West Ham are one of the clubs who’ve been offered a chance to sign ter Stegen on loan, with intermediaries reaching out over a potential deal.
“I am told at this point he is being offered on an initial loan; clearly, Barcelona realise that is a good way to earn a permanent deal,” Bailey said.
“United, Spurs, Newcastle, and West Ham have been made aware too.
“Ter Stegen is world-class, and if there is a chance to bolster your ranks with a player of this calibre for the second half of the season, I think he is a fascinating option for a number of sides in January.”
The 33-year-old is a serial winner. Boasting a Champions League winner’s medal and six La Liga titles from his time at the Camp Nou, ter Stegen would bring a champion’s mentality to Rush Green – something which has been severely lacking in the squad for quite some time.
However, given his £280,000-per-week wages, and the fact West Ham need to prioritise outfield positions, an agreement could well be out of the Hammers’ reach.
