West Ham’s slow start to the Premier League campaign may be due to several factors, with limited attacking options appearing to impact their progress. The club signed Callum Wilson in the summer, but injuries have affected his availability.
Nuno Espirito Santo has been told that there will be funds available to bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window, and the acquisition of a striker will be at the top of the agenda. Strengthening the attack in January could be crucial for West Ham to improve their position in the league.
West Ham Facing Early Season Challenges
The Premier League is notoriously competitive, and teams that don’t get off to a good start tend to find themselves struggling all season. West Ham only won one of their first nine games, accumulating four points in that time. Preseason projections had expected 12 points by that stage, highlighting how much the side was underperforming.
Early-season results placed West Ham among the teams listed in the football betting markets for relegation. After the first quarter of the 2025–26 campaign, sportsbooks priced them at 8/13 for a bottom-three finish. These odds underline the importance of strengthening the squad, with a striker seen as a key addition for the remainder of the season.
Bringing in a Striker in January Won’t Be Easy
The main problem for West Ham is that signing players in the January transfer market is much harder than it is in the summer. With this marking the halfway point of the season, the most sought-after players will not be easy to prise away from their current clubs.
For example, the Championship is often a great place for Premier League clubs to look for up-and-coming players that can make the step up to the top flight. West Ham have shopped in the second tier on various occasions in recent years, with Crysencio Summerville a prime example of one player who was deemed ready to move up a level. They signed him in the summer after Leeds United had failed to earn promotion, though, not in the winter window.
Brandon Thomas-Asante is expected to draw interest in the summer if Coventry do not secure promotion, though a mid-season move would be highly unlikely.
One move that does look realistic is the loan signing of Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United. Nuno has expressed an interest in making this happen, and it could be an immediate solution to their issues in front of goal. However, there will be other clubs interested, so the Irons will face competition.
Failing to strengthen the attack in January could make the remainder of the season more challenging for West Ham. There’s a lot riding on how well they manage to conduct business in the next transfer window.
