FULLKRUG EXIT LOOMS: WEST HAM FOCUS SHIFTS TO UNLEASHING CALLUM WILSON'S POTENTIAL.
West Ham coach Nuno Espirito Santo is determined to maximise Callum Wilson's potential, despite his injury history, as the club faces a striking crisis and potential transfer moves.
Nuno Espirito Santo really wants to help Callum Wilson, the team's experienced striker, play his best even though he hasn't always been the most fit player.
Football Insider says that Nuno Espirito Santo is looking forward to getting the most out of Callum Wilson. He used to play for Newcastle United and has had fitness problems. The West Ham manager is ready to work with him in the near future.
Nuno Espirito Santo has a tough job trying to fix West Ham United's scoring problems. He doesn't have many choices. Right now, the main strikers are Callum Wilson and Niclas Füllkrug.
Fullkrug has also had his share of fitness issues since he joined in the summer of 2024. He missed parts of his first season because he was hurt. He's still injured this season, and the club might think about selling the German player in January.
Wilson came to West Ham for free in the summer after playing a long time at Newcastle United, but he also has fitness concerns. The Magpies decided not to keep him because he missed a lot of last season with injuries, and they didn't want to take the same risk as West Ham.
Wilson has been playing better recently, and Espirito Santo is pushing to get the best from him. The Portuguese manager wants a strong player up front who can cause problems for the other team's defenders and create chances for the wingers. Wilson has been doing okay lately, but there's room for improvement.
Will West Ham sign a new striker?
West Ham wants to improve Wilson and sell Fullkrug, so they might be looking for a younger striker in January. There are rumours about several possible players, and Promise David from Union Saint-Gilloise is a major target.
Santiago Gimenez from AC Milan is also being considered. West Ham might bring in a new striker to take some of the pressure off Wilson and, more importantly, Jarrod Bowen when it comes to scoring goals. If they sign someone in January, West Ham could have a pretty good attack for Espirito Santo to work with and maybe even avoid getting relegated.
£35M LOSS: ANALYZING THE COLLAPSE OF HARVEY ELLIOTT'S MANDATORY VILLA TRANSFER
Harvey Elliott's loan to Aston Villa is ending early after just six months. The mandatory £35M purchase clause is now unlikely to be activated.
Harvey Elliott's time at Aston Villa might be cut short. Just six months after joining the club, he might be leaving in January.
The attacking midfielder came from Liverpool on a season-long loan on deadline day in September.
The deal with Villa included a requirement to buy him, plus clauses about selling him later or buying him back.
But, Elliott hasn't played much since joining Villa, even though they won against other teams in the Premier League and Europe to get him.
Unai Emery said that the club is looking at what to do with the 22-year-old before the next transfer window opens next month.
This comes after Elliott didn't travel with the team for their Europa League game against Basel on Thursday.
Emery talked about Elliott's future at Villa in a press conference before a game.
He said, We're talking with him about his situation.
He's not with us. We hope we can find the best solution for him and for us.
I respect him as a player and as a person. He's training well, but there's a situation with him.
Hopefully, we can find a solution for him to play often and continue his career, either with us or somewhere else.
Elliott has played in only five games for Villa since joining, scoring once.
His last game was a short four-minute appearance against Feyenoord in the Europa League in October.
He hasn't been in the squad for any of Villa's last seven Premier League games.
Emery added, I've spoken with him two or three times about the situation.
First, my decision and also the situation. He's on loan with us, but he's not really contributing to us with a permanent contract.
This is a setback for Liverpool.
Liverpool was supposed to get £35 million when Elliott's loan to Villa became a permanent deal.
But the requirement to buy him kicks in only if he plays in 10 games for the club.
So, the Reds will likely miss out on that money this summer since he's only played about half that many games.
If Elliott leaves Villa, he'll likely have to return to Anfield in January.
The former England under-21 player played twice for Liverpool this season before being loaned out.
FIFA rules say players can only play for two clubs in one season.
Elliott could get around this rule by joining a club in a league that runs from summer to winter, like those in the MLS.
BUNDESLIGA STAR: ANALYZING NATHANIEL BROWN'S FIT FOR TOTTENHAM'S DEFENSE
An analytical look at Nathaniel Brown's Bundesliga performance shows why he is a top target for Spurs. Can they beat out three major rivals for the defender?
According to a recent report from journalist Dean Jones, Tottenham Hotspur will have a tough time signing Eintracht Frankfurt left-back Nathaniel Brown. Spurs will have to compete with Manchester City, West Ham United, Manchester United, and Arsenal to get the German defender next year.
Brown has played well on Frankfurt’s left side this season. The 22-year-old has one goal and four assists in 20 games for the German club in all competitions.
The German player has shown he can defend well, with 30 tackles, 15 blocks, ten interceptions, and 16 clearances in the Bundesliga. He also passes the ball well from the left, with an 81.3% pass success rate in the German top league (stats via fbref.com).
His contract with the German club ends in the summer of 2030, so it won’t be easy for Tottenham to sign him next year.
Should Tottenham Hotspur Manager Thomas Frank Sign Brown?
Brown is a good tackler and times his challenges well to win the ball back. He clears the ball when the other team is attacking and is also a good passer.
The German player can score and assist goals from the left. Brown is mainly a left-back but can also play as a left-sided midfielder if needed. We’ll see if he can handle the Premier League’s physicality and intensity if Spurs sign him next year.
Brown would make Tottenham manager Thomas Frank’s defence better and deeper. He could earn a regular spot in the first team at the North London club in the years ahead.
At 22, Brown could become a star in English soccer if he keeps improving each season. Overall, Frank should sign him in 2026.