Nuno Espirito Santo has clear West Ham plan after Niclas Fullkrug exit latest
West Ham United are happy to let Niclas Fullkrug leave in the winter transfer window.
The Hammers are in search of a new striker as the Germany international continues to struggle in E20 after his £27million move from Borussia Dortmund last summer.
Fullkrug’s agent has admitted a move away from the London Stadium would be best for both parties after the centre-forward’s consistent fitness issues.
Nuno Espirito Santo has been linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Endrick, but it remains to be seen who they can sign, with quality signings arguably at a premium in January.
Niclas Fullkrug won’t be allowed to leave West Ham without replacement striker
While the Hammers have no problem sanctioning an exit for Fullkrug in the upcoming transfer window, they want to sign a replacement first, according to GiveMeSport.
The news outlet reports on 11 November that the Irons will not allow the German forward to walk out of the London Stadium without suitable reinforcements.
It’s been claimed that the East London club have identified several targets, with plans to strengthen the squad in the coming weeks already at an early stage.
Nuno expects Fullkrug to return from injury after the international break, and it will be interesting to see whether the Portuguese manager will be willing to let him go.
The Hammers are embroiled in a relegation battle, and while their recent Premier League form has been encouraging, they must surely still have concerns about the depth of their squad.
Fullkrug, Callum Wilson and Callum Marshall are the three natural centre-forwards at Nuno’s disposal, and the Irons undoubtedly need to add more options up front.
Lucas Paqueta experiment highlights London Stadium priority
Lucas Paqueta was underwhelming against Burnley, with the Brazil international not at his best in the 3-2 win in E20 on 8 November.
Nuno has tried to play the midfielder as a false nine in recent matches, but that experiment has been a massive failure.
| Player | Goals |
| Jarrod Bowen | 4 |
| Lucas Paqueta | 3 |
| Toma Soucek | 3 |
| Callum Wilson | 2 |
Injuries to Fullkrug and Wilson could potentially leave the Portuguese manager in a tough spot as they look for a reliable goalscorer to get out of the relegation zone.
A new striker should be a priority for the Irons in January, and it would also make sense to keep Fullkrug at the London Stadium at least until next summer.
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