Endrick to West Ham: ‘Front-runner’ named in transfer race
West Ham are desperate to bring in quality reinforcements in the January transfer window to ensure they don’t get relegated by the end of the season.
Sitting 19th in the table after nine matches, Nuno Espirito Santo must be pleading with the Hammers board for marquee signings to revitalise his inherited squad from Graham Potter.
Sources told Football Insider that West Ham are eager to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Man United in an attempt to resolve their deplorable goalscoring record up front.
Going the other way in a bid to free up some transfer funds, James Ward-Prowse could leave West Ham in January as the club plan to strengthen across the pitch.
Lyon in pole position to sign Endrick in major blow for West Ham
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the Irons have suffered a setback in their pursuit of the Brazilian wonderkid as part of their January transfer plans.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness exclusively told Football Insider that West Ham had opened talks with Endrick over a move to east London, yet the negotiations have clearly not gone past the initial opening phase.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast over Lyon taking the lead for the 19-year-old, I explained: “I think the Premier League obviously would be an interesting proposition, but it does seem that Lyon are the frontrunners for Endrick right now.
“He’s hardly kicked the ball for Real Madrid this season, so the player himself is keen to move away, to be playing regularly, hoping to get into that Brazil squad for next summer’s World Cup finals.
“Real Madrid will make the final decision where they feel is the best place for Endrick to leave.
“He’s obviously still part of their long-term plans at the Bernabeu, just not maybe getting into the team right now under Xabi Alonso, but they won’t be looking to sell him, they’ll be looking to loan him to sort of help him work on his match fitness and everything else.
“If he’s guaranteed first team football at Lyon, that might be something that might suit Real Madrid in that respect and whether he would move to the Premier League to a team maybe down the wrong end of the table, Real Madrid might not think that is the best landing spot for him as well.
“Right now you would have to say a move to Lyon is probably more favourable to Endrick and Real Madrid than a move to the Premier League.”
Lucas Paqueta could still leave West Ham if irresistible offer comes in
Ahead of the January transfer window, there are still doubts over the status of another Brazilian.
Sources told Football Insider that West Ham could part with Lucas Paqueta if they receive a monster sum for his services.
The number 10 received interest from Aston Villa and Man City last summer and the form of the Hammers could have a negative impact on his World Cup hopes.
Whilst it remains unclear whether the ex-Lyon midfielder will still be a West Ham player come the end of January, his sale could raise vital cash to redistribute in order to bolster an underwhelming squad.