West Ham January transfer window guide: Who Nuno Espirito Santo could sign, who could be sold and deadline day explained
West Ham United are preparing for one of their most important January transfer windows in recent times.
Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Graham Potter at the London Stadium after a woeful start to the season, and originally looked to have got the Hammers firing again.
However, West Ham are now firmly in the Premier League relegation zone, five points adrift from safety and winless in their last six games.
Ahead of the window opening, West Ham Zone gives you everything you need to know in this January transfer guide, with deadline day details, players who could be moving to East London, and those who look set to depart.
When does the January transfer window open and close?
The January transfer window will open on New Year’s Day, which is when West Ham can officially start making signings and confirming sales.
Deadline day is usually on 31 January, but due to that date falling on a Saturday this year, the window will slam shut at 7pm on Monday, 2 February.
This means that West Ham will have an extra two days to get any last-minute deals over the line, which could prove crucial for the East London outfit.
Hammers fans will be hopeful that the majority of their business is wrapped up long before the deadline, but given their current situation, that feels extremely unlikely.
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West Ham’s January transfer targets
Without a doubt, West Ham’s number one priority for the January transfer window is a centre-forward.
Callum Wilson has scored four Premier League goals this season, but Nuno is clearly not a fan of the former Newcastle United man and would like someone to rival him for the second half of the campaign.
West Ham have been linked with Jorgen Strand Larsen, but are reluctant to pay the £40million that Wolves are demanding.
The East London outfit have also enquired about the availability of Roma striker Artem Dovbyk, with Nottingham Forest man Chris Wood touted as another option.
Elsewhere, Adama Traore has been linked with West Ham amid uncertainty about his future at Craven Cottage.
Nuno is a big fan of Traore, having worked with him at Wolves, and the winger’s Fulham contract expires at the end of the season, meaning there is a possibility of a cut-price deal.
The Hammers also have rumoured interest in Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell and FC Utrecht full-back Souffian El Karouani, as they look to strengthen their backline.
Who could Nuno Espirito Santo sell before deadline day?
Nuno has frozen out several West Ham players since his arrival in late November, and January presents the perfect chance to offload them.
Niclas Fullkrug is all set to join AC Milan, and will make the move to Italy on an initial six-month loan deal, with Milan holding an option-to-buy at the end of the season.
James Ward-Prowse is another who looks almost certain to leave when the window reopens, given his current place in the West Ham pecking order.
Ward-Prowse has not played a single minute since Nuno came in and has been linked with former club Southampton in recent months, but there has been no concrete news about where he will end up.
The likes of Guido Rodriguez, Andrew Irving, and George Earthy all see their contracts expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, so could be seeking a permanent exit in January.
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