Lucas Paqueta and Josh Sargent updates as Nuno Espirito Santo eyes West Ham signings
Nuno Espirito Santo reportedly wants to sign a central defender as well as a striker in the January transfer window.
West Ham are attempting to offload Niclas Fullkrug in the New Year as they look to bring in a new centre-forward to compete with Callum Wilson.
There have been links to Ivan Toney but West Ham are thought unlikely to be able to bring the England international back from the Saudi Pro League.
And with the Irons languishing down in 18th so far this term Nuno also wants a new centre-back to bolster his squad.
West Ham not advanced on Josh Sargent
The Guardian report that striker and centre-back are two of transfer priorities heading into the winter window, but while the club are monitoring Norwich forward Josh Sargent they are not said to be “advanced” in that pursuit.
To help fund incomings Jacob Steinberg writes that both James Ward-Prowse and Luis Guilherme could be moved on, in addition to Fullkrug who is a loan target for AC Milan.
In addition, offers from Brazil for unsettled star midfielder Lucas Paqueta are anticipated as well.
Paqueta wants to leave West Ham and got himself sent off against Liverpool last month, before decrying the lack of support he has received during the spot fixing investigation by the FA he was subject to for two years prior to guilt not being proven earlier this season.
West Ham fix to take multiple windows
Since West Ham have seemingly made missteps at every key juncture since winning the Europa Conference League three seasons ago they are in enough of a mess that it will take far more than a positive January to fix.
Nuno has managed to improve matters slightly since the departure of Graham Potter, but to be approaching Christmas still inside the bottom three illustrates the depth of the issues at the London Stadium.
- Nuno targets striker and centre-back in January
- Paqueta offers could come in from Brazil
- Fullkrug set to be moved on
- Ward-Prowse and Guilherme potential departees
The Portuguese has a squad that looks mismatched, which is probably no surprise when he is the fourth manager in less than two years and the only one yet to sign any players, with attack, defence and midfield needing work.
Paqueta at his best is a star attraction but the red card episode shows he is not in the ideal frame of mind, so it is probably worth sacrificing his ability for the greater good and looking to plow whatever resources come back into new arrivals.
Tha Brazilian will at least hold some value still, which is harder to say about Fullkrug, Ward-Prowse, and to a lesser extent Guilherme, after their respective struggles with the Irons, so it looks like being a backs-to-the-wall job in the January window and for the rest of the season.
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