A “dangerous” £15 million player has been floated in the direction of West Ham United, and it is believed technical director Tim Steidten could strike a deal for him in January.
The players West Ham could reportedly sign in January
Over the past fortnight and beforehand, reports have circulated linking Julen Lopetegui’s side with a few attacking players.
Journalist shares how people at West Ham are really feeling about Lopetegui
He’s a man under some pressure.
2 ByEmilio Galantini
The east Londoners spent nearly £120 million on nine new arrivals in a statement of intent over the summer window, but West Ham’s mixed start to the 2024/2025 Premier League campaign highlights that they may need to bolster other areas of the squad too.
West Ham summer signings
From
Fee (Transfermarkt)
Maximilian Kilman
Wolves
€47.5m
Crysencio Summerville
Leeds United
€29.3m
Niclas Fullkrug
Borussia Dortmund
€27m
Luis Guilherme
Palmeiras
€23m
Mohamadou Kante
Paris FC
Undisclosed
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Man Utd
€18m
Wes Foderingham
Sheffield United
Free transfer
Guido Rodriguez
Real Betis
Free transfer
Jean-Clair Todibo
Nice
Loan transfer
Carlos Soler
PSG
Loan transfer
West Ham summer departures
To
Fee (Transfermarkt)
Flynn Downes
Southampton
€17.85m
James Ward-Prowse
Nottingham Forest
Loan
Maxwel Cornet
Southampton
Loan
Kurt Zouma
Al-Shabab
Loan
Nayef Aguerd
Real Sociedad
Loan
Said Benrahma
Lyon
€14.4m
Angelo Ogbonna
Watford
Free transfer
Thilo Kehrer
Monaco
€11m
Nathan Trott
FC Copenhagen
€1.5m
Ben Johnson
Ipswich Town
Free transfer
Joseph Anang
St Patrick’s Athletic
Free transfer
Lopetegui boasts just two wins out of seven top-flight matches so far, drawing two and losing three, with Steidten and West Ham on the lookout for new attackers who could give them an extra bit of dynamism going forward.
Steidten has drawn up fresh plans to sign Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, according to some reports, and it is believed another striker in Atletico Madrid centre-forward Alexander Sorloth is considering a move to West Ham too.
While a number nine is thought to be high on their agenda, the club could strengthen in other areas, like in midfield, where ex-Chelsea midfielder and current AC Milan ace Ruben Loftus-Cheek is now being linked.
Loftus-Cheek floated to West Ham and could sign in January
According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, writing via his transfer notebook, Loftus-Cheek has been floated to West Ham as the £15 million midfielder potentially eyes a move back to England.
The Three Lions international’s role at Milan has been reduced this season – relegated to mainly substitute appearances – and Lopetegui could now offer him a route back to his homeland.
“He was born as an attacking winger, right or left,” said Gianfranco Zola on Loftus-Cheek.
“He adapted to the inside and then was one of the two central defenders in the middle. With this availability, he was able to add defensive phase qualities to his characteristics. However, he remains more effective if deployed in the opponent’s half of the field, more as a midfielder than as an attacking midfielder.
“He’s a great player and if he can find continuity, also protecting himself from injuries, he will be a true top player. One of those who allow you to make a huge leap in quality: he breaks the balance, he gets past his man, physically very strong.
“He’s always dangerous, effective on the counter-attack, decisive in his movement. In the area, he makes his physicality count.”