West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo is arguably in dire need of a proven goalscorer to lead his forward line, amid doubts surrounding Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Wilson.
West Ham identify attacking targets for January
Only Nottingham Forest and bottom side Wolves have scored fewer Premier League goals than West Ham so far, with the Hammers alongside Aston Villa and Newcastle as the division’s second-lowest scorers so far.
Following an injury-ridden and all-round lacklustre career at the London Stadium since his move from Borussia Dortmund, despite flashes of occasional brilliance, West Ham brought another injury-prone striker in Callum Wilson to Rush Green on a free transfer to back up the German.
West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
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
The former Newcastle favourite, who had a habit of scoring against West Ham, is off the mark for his new club after bagging an injury-time goal in their 3-0 win away to Nottingham Forest just prior to the September international break.
Since Nuno’s arrival, the Portuguese has elected to go with Fullkrug as the club’s starting number nine — perhaps hoping he can eventually inspire a Chris Wood-level resurgence from the 32-year-old, who racked up 16 goals in all competitions in his last season at Dortmund.
However, given both Wilson and Fullkrug’s torrid injury records, it is hardly prudent to rely on either of them ahead of what will be a long 2025/2026 campaign where the Hammers could be fighting relegation.
January represents an opportunity for West Ham to back Nuno with another centre-forward who can ease the burden on Fullkrug and Wilson, with the Irons believed to be interested in Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee as an option heading into the winter window.
Another very intriguing potential target is also beginning to resurface — Real Madrid starlet Endrick.
The 19-year-old is yet to play a single minute for Xabi Alonso this season, having missed the early part of 2025/2026 with thigh problems, and he’s been an unused substitute in all of their last five games.
Endrick, signed from Palmeiras for around £53 million, has reportedly been subject to an approach from West Ham who could look to sign the Brazil international on loan in January.
West Ham chances of signing Endrick alive for January
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in an interview with Hammers News, Endrick was open to joining the East Londoners on a temporary deal last January, and the possibility of this happening at the turn of the year still cannot be ruled out.
“West Ham have tried to sign Endrick on more than one occasion,” said Bailey.
“They were at the head of the queue in January [2025] for instance, had he moved on loan. They even asked when he originally arrived in Madrid, in case he was allowed to go.
“Endrick, I am told, was open to the possibility had he left on loan, but it was always about creating his chance at Madrid.
“The fact it still hasn’t worked out, then, I am told West Ham still would like to take him. And if he is allowed out, West Ham honestly can’t be discounted.”
Endrick, who was once widely regarded as one of the brightest attacking talents in world football, made headlines with his electrifying performances at Palmeiras before his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid.
However, despite his evident skill and potential, breaking into Real’s star-studded first team is a daunting challenge for any teenager, especially in a squad packed with established global superstars.
A loan spell at West Ham would offer the striker a perfect platform to gain valuable experience in a competitive environment on the world’s biggest stage playing Premier League football.
For Nuno’s side, securing a prospect of Endrick’s caliber would bolster their attacking options and inject much-needed creativity into their squad at zero cost — making the move an attractive one for both parties.
