Nuno’s a big fan: West Ham hold very strong interest in “fantastic” forward
West Ham United now hold very strong interest in signing a “fantastic” forward, with Nuno personally keen on a deal.
West Ham's January transfer window plans taking shape
West Ham are looking to strengthen their chances of avoiding the drop by making some new signings in the January transfer window, and Nuno may want to improve his options at the back, given his recent comments.
The 51-year-old said: “We haven’t achieved a clean sheet yet. That is something we need to do. There is improvement. But not total improvement. We still haven’t reached the standard we expect. We are creating chances. It is about finding the balance.”
At the opposite end of the pitch, Jarrod Bowen has continued to impress, with the Englishman scoring in his last two Premier League matches, while summer signing Callum Wilson has made a promising start to life at the London Stadium.
However, the Irons remain keen on strengthening their attacking options even further, according to ExWHUEmployee, who told The West Ham Way that a move for a domestic-based striker is now being prioritised.
A number of targets have been identified, including Coventry City’s Haji Wright and Norwich City’s Josh Sargent, while there is also very strong interest in Fulham winger Adama Traore, with Nuno personally keen on a reunion.
The manager is a big fan of the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man, singling him out for high praise during his time at Molineux: “The moment me, him and his team-mates realise how good Adama can be be, I hope I will be here to see it. He is unique and very special.”
“It’s his personality, character and heart, he’s a very nice boy. A very nice human being.”
“When I say unique, I say unique all over football. There is no player like Adama.”
Traore struggling to make an impact at Fulham
Marco Silva lauded the Spaniard as “fantastic” earlier this season, but in truth, he has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, yet to register a goal or an assist, and the winger has predominantly been utilised as a substitute.
That said, there are some signs the 29-year-old could be a solid addition, having averaged 0.30 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 83rd percentile, compared to other wingers.
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The eight-time Spain international also loves driving at opposition defences, averaging 2.23 successful take-ons per 90 and 5.21 progressive carries over the same time period, again outperforming the vast majority of his positional peers.
If Nuno feels as though he can get the best out of Traore, it may be worth pursuing a January move, but signing a new striker should remain the priority, given that Niclas Fullkrug has already held talks over a departure.