West Ham United remain in the market for a fresh striking option to give new manager Graham Potter a boost, with co-chair David Sullivan and the Hammers recruitment team working on the best possible solution as we head into the final days of January.
West Ham’s rumoured top striker targets for January
The east Londoners have no shortage of names being looked at right now. Late last week, reports from the Netherlands broke news of West Ham’s serious attempt to prise Brian Brobbey away from Ajax, making a proposal to sign the centre-forward on loan with an obligation to buy (De Telegraaf).
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The player is prepared to join Graham Potter.
English broadcaster talkSPORT also claim that Brobbey has already agreed personal terms with West Ham, but club-to-club talks are proving more complicated, as there remains a gap in pricing between both Ajax and the Irons.
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West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Chelsea (away) |
February 3rd |
|
Brentford (home) |
February 15th |
|
Arsenal (away) |
February 22nd |
|
Leicester City (home) |
February 27th |
|
Newcastle United (home) |
March 10th |
Taking this into account, Potter’s side are looking at alternatives if they cannot strike a deal for the Dutchman.
As reported by Jacob Steinberg and other reliable media outlets, one player high on their agenda is Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson.
The 20-year-old has been at the centre of reports linking him with a temporary move away from Brighton over these last few weeks, and according to Fabrizio Romano, Ferguson is now expected to seal that loan move in these next few days.
West Ham are apparently optimistic they can win the race for Ferguson during this last-gasp stage of the winter window, and that could be fueled by the fact he won’t have much competition for a place in Potter’s starting elevens on a regular basis – given Niclas Füllkrug and Michail Antonio are out with long-term injuries.
Evan Ferguson willing to make West Ham move in January
TEAMtalk now have another update on Potter’s pursuit of his former prodigy at Brighton, and it’s a potentially encouraging one.
The outlet claims that Ferguson is willing to join West Ham before deadline day, with the east Londoners in Brighton contact as they seek to beat other interested sides to the Republic of Ireland international’s signature.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side are still deciding what kind of loan deal they wish to conduct, potentially even one which would include an option to buy Ferguson outright, and the Seagulls are preparing a response to West Ham.
To sign him permanently at the end of his initial loan, the fee could reach up to £40 million, which is actually a real drop from his previously mooted £60 million price tag.
“Ferguson’s going to be a real star. He’s a superstar,” said pundit Micah Richards in 2023. “There’s something in his play, he’s so mature the way he links up, the way he takes his chances. Everything about him I love.”