Callum Wilson has West Ham priority vs Burnley as Niclas Fullkrug return on cards
Callum Wilson will surely be in a better mood as West Ham United face Burnley on Saturday after struggling for game time.
The former Newcastle United striker had to watch on from the bench as the likes of Lucas Paqueta and Callum Marshall played ahead of him in the number nine position.
It seemed like there was a financial reason behind Wilson’s snub at the London Stadium, with the 33-year-old on a pay-as-you-play contract.
While Nuno Espirito Santo has been unable to rely on Niclas Fullkrug due to his consistent fitness issues, the England international has a clear priority against the Clarets in the Premier League on 8 November.
Niclas Fullkrug could return for West Ham after international break
Fullkrug could potentially return from his injury after the international break, with the striker currently taking part in some training sessions, Nuno shares.
The Hammers’ boss revealed that he’s “positive” about the Germany international being available for the first team ahead of the Bournemouth fixture on 22 November.
If Wilson fails to justify his inclusion in the starting lineup with a decent performance against Burnley at the London Stadium, he may find himself out of the starting lineup once again soon.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference on 6 November, Nuno said: “Fullkrug is progressing with the group. Not all the parts of the training sessions. Now comes the international break, I think after that I’m positive everything is going to be okay.”
Wilson was underwhelming against Newcastle on 2 November, doing little against his former team as Paqueta and Freddie Potts shone.
The centre-forward played 61 minutes against the Magpies and recorded an xG of 0.03, lost possession seven times, had 67 per cent passing accuracy and won none of his three air duels, as per Sofascore.
Nuno Espirito Santo to block January transfer at London Stadium
There has been speculation about Fullkrug’s future at the London Stadium, with his agent hinting at a possible exit in the winter transfer window.
While the 32-year-old’s move to West Ham from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2024 has turned out to be an abject failure, he’s still arguably a decent option for Nuno to have in E20.
The German striker is probably the best in the Hammers’ squad at hold-up play due to his sheer size and strength, which the Portuguese manager can surely make use of.
Considering the Irons are fighting a relegation battle, it wouldn’t make sense to sell Fullkrug in the upcoming transfer window without adding at least a couple of quality strikers, which will be challenging to do in January.
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