West Ham United insiders share update on possible funds to sign a striker in January, several first-team players could be sold
West Ham United will not have any funds available to sign a striker in the January transfer window, according to Claret & Hugh.
The reliable Hammers journalists (16 November) shared club insiders have told them that they had spent the entire transfer budget for the season in the summer and that a top striker was always unlikely to be available in the winter anyway.
It’s been reported that should West Ham make a move in the January window, a striker will be the priority. However, that seems unlikely unless funds can be raised through player sales.
“The club has again revealed to Claret and Hugh that there are no funds other than those available for new arrivals and the need for a striker is the major priority should they be able to get one through the door.
“It demonstrates that the £15 million spent on Danny Ings last winter has been a flop and that the urgency in finding a front man is as acute as it has been for months.
“Among the players who could help raise cash in the next window are Ben Johnson, Conor Coventry, Maxwell Cornet, Aaron Cresswell, Angelo Ogbonna, and maybe even Said Benrahma.
“Our source said: “We are spent up. We really need to sell fringe players to raise funds. Its not easy to sell players and find better in January, but we’d love to sign a striker. It all depends on which fringe players will interest other clubs of course.”
Shame
West Ham United fans certainly know the club is in a pickle right now when it comes to potentially possessing a top-calibre striker beyond the January transfer window.
How David Moyes looks to progress this squad this season without one looks incredibly uncertain because Jarrod Bowen should not be relied upon to bail them out of trouble every time – it’s not sustainable.
With Michail Antonio undergoing a stark decline and Danny Ings failing to deliver on his reliable Premier League goalscoring promise since he signed in January, it remains to be seen whether West Ham United can achieve their aims as a result.
They really should not have sold Gianluca Scamacca so soon.
If Moyes is left to work with what he has in the January transfer window then that’ll be incredibly disappointing. Right now, Antonio and Ings leave the Hammers desperately short of improving on last year’s domestic position or even building their achievements in Europe.
Several fringe stars such as Cornet, Johnson and Cresswell may well have to be sold to have any chance of signing a striker but the best finishers are hard to come by in the January market.
The Hammers may have to wait till next summer but that majorly depends on where they’ve finished at the end of the season.
In other West Ham news, the club’s stance on another potential signing has emerged with the deal still yet to be complete.