Nuno Espirito Santo must strengthen the Hammers to ensure Premier League survival
West Ham United need help, badly. They’ve got it in the dugout, with Nuno Espirito Santo replacing Graham Potter, but their tight-fisted owners must also chip in if they’re to avoid the ignominy of relegation this season.
Nuno could do with upgrades all over the field but particularly at the top of the pitch as excluding Jarrod Bowen, West Ham’s five forwards have produced just a single goal contribution in all competitions.
Lucas Paqueta’s return to form has been a bonus but a left winger and striker are a must, while neither of the Hammers’ goalkeepers have looked particularly sharp so far, having conceded a combined three goals more than expected in the Premier League.
Another centre-back is next on the list then with Jean-Clair Todibo so far failing to justify his status as West Ham’s second-most expensive of the summer, so who could they sign to stave off relegation this season?
Hammers should return for Charlie Cresswell
Toulouse wanted £18m for him back in August and that fee is unlikely to have gone up with only three teams boasting a worse Ligue 1 defensive record.
However, he was named in the 2025 U21 Euros team of the tournament for a reason and he was an ever-present for the French side last season, so this still looks like more of a blip than anything else.
Cresswell is worth West Ham taking a chance on and his ball-playing skills would suit a counter-attacking system well if Nuno does want to replicate his Nottingham Forest tactics.
Yildiz perfect solution to left wing problem
Crysencio Summerville has been one biggest disappointments of the last two seasons so far and West Ham simply cannot afford to keep waiting for him to come good.
Baris Alper Yilmaz added about £10 million to his price tag in just 85 minutes for Galatasaray against Liverpool last week, terrorising makeshift right back Dominic Szoboszlai while winning the decisive penalty and having been linked to the Hammers for €50m (£43m), the Turk has what it takes to kick-start Nuno’s front line.
A direct threat with the ball at his feet; like Cresswell, Yilmaz would certainly fit into Nuno’s plans if he wants to simplify things at the London Stadium. The 25-year-old doesn’t get on the ball too much - he averages 50 touches every 90 minutes - but he makes them count ranking highly for entries into the opposition penalty area while also performing standout defensive work.
West Ham must avoid Man United trap at striker
West Ham need a new star at centre-forward which is an issue given their absolutely rotten record for signing strikers with the woeful tales of Sebastien Haller, Javier Hernandez, Emmanuel Emenike, Gianluca Scimacca, Nikica Jelavic, John Carew and most recently Evan Ferguson serving stark warnings as Niclas Fullkrug continues to fail to live up to his hype.
With that background, the links to Joshua Zirkzee are worrying given Stratford has been about the only place worse than Stretford for big-name striker signings in recent years - there’s simply nothing to suggest his fortunes will turn around in claret and blue.
The rumours surrounding Endrick to West Ham on loan are a much more intriguing proposition. He was only available to Palmeiras for four weeks of their 2024 league campaign but still played more top-flight minutes in that spell than he has since arriving in Madrid for up to €60m (£52m).
However, he has the power to transform this West Ham team and ran the show against both England and Spain when Brazil played them ahead of them reaching the Euro 2024, looking like a player taken straight out of the 20th century in his baggy shirt tucked into his boxing trunks.
West Ham United 2026 starting XI if predictions come true: Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Cresswell, Diouf; Fernandes, Mangassa; Bowen, Paqueta, Yilmaz; Endrick.
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