Exclusive: West Ham set aside £20m for January striker signing
West Ham are only willing to spend £20million on a new striker in January, sources have told Football Insider.
The Londoners have set aside the limited sum as they explore the market for a new forward who can slot instantly into the starting XI.
Football Insider revealed in November that West Ham sent scouts to watch Josh Sargent play for Norwich City, with the American among the options under consideration at the London Stadium.
The forward netted 15 goals in the Championship last season and has scored six in the current campaign, despite the Canaries’ woeful start.
Several Bundesliga clubs are exploring moves for Niclas Fullkrug in January, with the German keen to call time on his Premier League stay in January.
West Ham are willing to sell Fullkrug in the winter, with summer signing Callum Wilson starting to find good form.
Josh Sargent keen for second Premier League chance
Sargent joined Norwich from Werder Bremen in 2021, after the Canaries had been promoted from the Championship.
But the Premier League was a serious step-up in quality for both the young striker and his new team.
Norwich were relegated, and Sargent’s only two league goals of the season came in a win over Watford at Vicarage Road.
The seasons since, however, have seen the forward develop into a player considered among the most dangerous strikers in the second tier.
Sargent’s scoring has been in the double digits in every full season he has played since the 2021-22 campaign, and this one had started brilliantly, too.
The 25-year-old had already found the net five times after just four fixtures, but Norwich’s form since has seen the American suffer too, with his first goal since August coming against Watford on Saturday.
West Ham must protect Callum Wilson
Wilson’s arrival in the summer prompted outrage among some West Ham supporters. The striker suffered from numerous injury issues in his final years at Newcastle United, and he was seen as a cheap option for chairman David Sullivan.
But in recent weeks, the 33-year-old has been trusted to start, and has repaid Nuno Espirito Santo‘s faith with consistent performances.
With Fullkrug set to leave, however, West Ham will be aware that they cannot rely on the striker to continue to start until May.
Wilson’s injuries have not been present this season but they may well return quickly, and the Hammers must be prepared for that event.