Julen Lopetegui transfer stance will worry West Ham in January
Julen Lopetegui has not had the start to life at West Ham he would have hoped for with pressure on his shoulders halfway through the season.
Despite the appointment of the Spaniard to try and improve the style of football on show at the London Stadium, Lopetegui has struggled to put his own mark on the side.
Another poor performance against Liverpool on Sunday (29 December) resulted in a 5-0 loss that has left the 58-year-old hanging on to his job by a thread.
With this in mind, the January transfer window could prove to be the difference on whether Lopetegui will see the season out in East London with additions to improve his squad necessary.
However, there could also be some concerns surrounding the manager’s ability to get it right at this crucial period.
West Ham Zone exclusively revealed (2 January) that Jorgen Strand Larsen was offered to West Ham before his move to Wolves but the club turned him down.
Julen Lopetegui has to prove he can get it right at West Ham
The Irons are facing struggles throughout the team although they are particularly lacking up-front with Michail Antonio out for a long period through injury and Jarrod Bowen having picked up an injury too.
Lopetegui brought Niclas Fullkrug into the club although he has also struggled to settle down in East London and is already linked with a move away from the club [Sunday People, 24 November].
Meanwhile, the Wolves striker has been in excellent form this term with seven goals and two assists from 19 Premier League appearances this season.
It’s not just this season that the 24-year-old has come into form either having scored 13 goals for Celta Vigo last season showing he has adapted to English football just fine.
The Hammers won’t want to dwell over players that are now missed opportunties but the fact the East London outfit turned down this deal and now find themselves needing a striker who can affect their side surely leaves questions over Lopetegui’s judgement in transfer windows.
In other West Ham news, Juventus have set their price after an approach for Nicolo Fagioli.
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