“£40M SUPERSTAR STRIKER DESPERATE TO JOIN WEST HAM IN SHOCK JANUARY MOVE – DEAL ALMOST DONE!”
West Ham United find themselves in the midst of a deepening striker crisis as Nuno Espírito Santo’s men once again delivered an uninspiring performance, falling 2-0 at home to Brentford.
The Hammers were thoroughly outplayed at the London Stadium, leaving fans frustrated and pundits questioning Nuno’s tactical decisions and team selection.
Brentford dominated from start to finish, with goals from Igor Thiago and Mathias Jensen securing a well-deserved victory for Keith Andrews’ side. West Ham, meanwhile, rarely threatened.
Their only meaningful chance came when Jarrod Bowen forced a fine save with a low-driven effort to the far post.
By comparison, Brentford registered 17 shots, exposing the fragility of West Ham’s restructured backline, which looked disjointed and vulnerable throughout.
Nuno’s selection raised eyebrows even before kick-off. Olly Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters started as full-backs, while Andy Irving partnered Tomas Soucek in midfield.
Much of the pre-match talk focused on whether promising youngster Callum Marshall would start, with Niclas Füllkrug sidelined due to a thigh injury. However, Nuno instead deployed Lucas Paquetá as a makeshift striker—a move that spectacularly backfired.
The Brazilian struggled to influence proceedings, losing possession 23 times and cutting a frustrated figure for most of the evening.
The defeat extends West Ham’s miserable home record, marking the first time in the club’s history that they have lost their opening four league matches at home.
Recent results make for grim reading: Sunderland 3-0 West Ham, West Ham 1-5 Chelsea, Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham, West Ham 0-3 Tottenham, West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace, Everton 1-1 West Ham, Arsenal 2-0 West Ham, and now West Ham 0-2 Brentford.
With Füllkrug’s ongoing fitness issues, Nuno faces a mounting headache up front. The German striker has struggled with recurring injuries since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, missing 28 matches across all competitions last season.
While he is expected to return in the coming weeks, doubts persist over his reliability. Meanwhile, Callum Wilson’s frequent absences and Marshall’s inexperience have left the Hammers dangerously short of options in attack.
Unsurprisingly, fans are calling on club owners David Sullivan and Karren Brady to act decisively in the January transfer window.
Encouragingly, reports from journalist Alan Nixon suggest that West Ham are already exploring a deal for Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney.
Nixon reports via Patreon that the England international remains high on Nuno’s wish list, with the Hammers “working” on a potential loan move.
Toney, who joined Al-Ahli for £40 million from Brentford last year, has been prolific in the Saudi Pro League and is said to be open to a Premier League return.
The 29-year-old hopes to reignite his chances of making Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Having scored 20 Premier League goals in his standout 2022/2023 season with Brentford, Toney’s proven record and sharp finishing make him a perfect fit for West Ham’s needs.
Reports indicate that the London club could be willing to cover a substantial portion of Toney’s £426,000-per-week salary to bring him back to England—a move that would represent a major statement of intent from the West Ham hierarchy amid growing fan unrest.
For Nuno, it could be the lifeline he needs to rescue an increasingly turbulent campaign.
