West Ham must think twice about Nestory Irankunda deal as 0.16 and 73% stats emerge

West Ham United target Nestory Irankunda heavily struggled in Australia’s defeat to Egypt on Friday.

The 20-year-old Watford speedster started the game as the sole striker as the Aussies lost the match on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Throughout the match, Irankunda struggled to make any kind of impact before he was taken off the pitch after 74 minutes.

As a result, this would have been a big warning to West Ham, who Football Insider exclusively revealed were tracking Irankunda this transfer window.

The Hammers are in need of new attackers ahead of their return to the Championship for the 2026-27 campaign.

However, Irankunda may not be the solution after his mixed performance for Australia in the World Cup.

Nestory Irankunda struggles in the defeat to Egypt 

Despite an excellent start to the 2026 World Cup, where he scored against Turkey in Australia’s opening game, Irankunda was unable to get another goal this tournament.

His lack of impact continued against Egypt, where he only managed one shot, which was off target in the round of 32 match.

According to Fotmob on 4 July, he produced only a 0.16 xG, completed 73 per cent of his passes, won 50 per cent of his aerial duels and didn’t make a single defensive contribution.

While he did create two chances, it wasn’t enough to cause Egypt too many problems.

As a result, this should be a major concern for West Ham, with the 20-year-old struggling to be a threat in one of Australia’s biggest ever matches.

However, it remains to be seen if the Hammers choose to make a move for the attacker now that the Aussies have been knocked out of the tournament.

Who else is linked to West Ham?

Football Insider has exclusively revealed that West Ham are set to submit an improved offer for Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu this summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old is expected to depart the Foxes after their relegation to League One last season.

The Ghana international has emerged as a transfer target after he picked up 16 goal contributions in the 2025-26 campaign.

However, it remains to be seen if the club is able to win the race for Fatawu over the coming months.