West Ham’s strategy for the January transfer window has been leaked by a close confidant of majority owner David Sullivan — and it shows the club is finally getting savvy.
There is one fundamental reason West Ham find themselves in a relegation battle after nearly two years of non-stop regression.
West Ham’s owners are ultimately the ones who must shoulder the blame for most things given they make the big decisions or put the people in place who do.
But it is West Ham’s poor recruitment above all else that has landed them in their current situation.
Woeful recruitment leaves Nuno with mountain to climb
Tim Steidten’s woeful waste of £155m in the summer of last year was a watershed moment for the Hammers.
The German should have been building a new-look side around top, young, energetic talents – as he said he would do.
He failed miserably and was sacked in January after just 18 months.
The summer window saw David Sullivan reprise his role as West Ham’s de facto director of football.
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The Hammers board cited PSR as an issue as they insisted the club must sell before it could buy.
Technical director Tim Steidten ahead of West Ham United FC v Aston Villa FC - Premier League
Photo by Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
But nowhere near enough business was done and just one win from the first 10 games in all competitions brutally exposed that fact.
West Ham have flitted between different recruitment models in an incoherent manner. Especially as they went through three managers in just over 16 months.
The Irons have had the likes of Kyle Macaulay, Steidten, Rob Newman, managers, owners and agents all having their input on signings.
So is it any wonder they have an unbalanced, mish-mash squad of players suited to different styles?
West Ham’s exciting new Brazilian transfer plan leaked
The Hammers have also gone between different markets, looking to Spain, Ligue 1, Italy, Germany and the Championship over different windows.
When Nuno Espirito Santo agreed to become West Ham boss, he did so after being reassured over two key things.
The first was that he would have his say on signings after falling out with Evangelos Marinakis over recruitment at Nottingham Forest.
The second being that the Hammers would use his super-agent Jorge Mendes to do deals too.
Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates during West Ham's win over Newcastle United
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
West Ham’s window business in January will be among the most important in their recent history given their very Premier League survival is at stake.
And it seems there is some rare positive news regarding the way the club are going to approach the winter window.
West Ham’s exciting new Brazilian transfer plan has been leaked as Nuno brings some savvy.
A bold new focus on the Brazilian market could be key to unlocking the next wave of top talent in east London.
And the key reason behind it suggests West Ham may be listening to new voices around them when it comes to the January window.
Nuno Espirito Santo brings some savvy to West Ham recruitment
Hammers insider Sean Whetstone counts majority owner Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady among his close contacts at the club.
Now Whetstone has revealed that West Ham are planning to raid the Brazilian market in January as well as looking at loans.
The reason being that the Brazilian season ends on December 7th and West Ham feel there is more chance of attracting players.
Presumably in the knowledge manager Nuno also speaks their native Portuguese, something Lucas Paqueta, Mateus Fernandes and Luis Guilherme have said has helped them.
The Hammers are also being realistic about the possibility of signing quality players permanently midway through the season given their current situation.
But the plan will undoubtedly be to have options or obligations to buy if the Hammers stay up.
West Ham may look to the Brazilian transfer market in January as the Brazilian Serie A season ends on December 7, 2025.
The Hammers will also explore the loan market as they believe it difficult to sign quality players permanently with clubs who are mid way through their season. pic.twitter.com/vxaYUJtkwD
— West Ham Football (@westhamfootball) November 5, 2025
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“West Ham may look to the Brazilian transfer market in January as the Brazilian Serie A season ends on December 7, 2025,” Whetstone revealed on X.
“The Hammers will also explore the loan market as they believe it difficult to sign quality players permanently with clubs who are midway through their season.”