West Ham have reportedly reignited their pursuit of Quinten Timber after Nuno Espirito Santo gave the move his approval having wanted him at Forest in the summer.
The Dutch midfielder is viewed inside the club as the ‘missing piece’ to complete Nuno Espirito Santo’s evolving Hammers side.
West Ham are paying the price for failing to invest in certain areas of the team over the summer and retaining Graham Potter as manager following a dismal first 20 games in the job last season.
It was clear for all to see the Hammers needed a young, pacy, powerful striker as a top priority in the summer window.
Another centre-back was a close second.
But a creative midfielder was also needed in addition to Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa – who both look like excellent acquisitions.
West Ham reignite Timber move after Nuno green light
The frustrating thing for Hammers supporters – and likely Nuno too since he replaced Potter – is that the club were linked with attempts to address all three areas in the run-up to deadline day.
But the window closed with only Igor Julio arriving on loan.
One of the midfielders West Ham were consistently linked with was Feyenoord star Quinten Timber, twin brother of Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
Fernandes has been excellent, showing his box-to-box talent both on and off the ball.
But beyond Lucas Paqueta, who has said this will be his last season with the club, West Ham literally have no midfielders with any true craft or guile to create.
Quinten Timber celebrates during Feyenoord v Fenerbahce - UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round First Leg
Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images
That means the onus is often on Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville to forge their own openings and opportunities.
Nuno is starting to get a settled side together after back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Burnley.
As a result, the Irons have closed the gap on the teams above them heading into the November international break.
When Premier League actions resumes, the January transfer window will be just over one month away.
That is West Ham’s big chance to really back Nuno in their bid to push clear of the relegation equation.
Timber ‘missing piece’ for a Hammers midfield lacking guile
Speculation has emerged that Timber remains a target for January despite the change of manager at the London Stadium.
Lazy regurgitated journalism or legitimate news?
Excitingly, the latter, according to a leading West Ham transfer source.
Because West Ham have indeed reignited a move for Timber after Nuno gave it the green light and he’s the ‘missing piece’.
The Hammers were heavily linked with Timber for much of the summer window but he remained in Holland.
According to reports in Spain, repeated by Caught Offside, the 24-year-old midfielder could be available for just £17m in January as his contract with the Dutch outfit ends in 2026.
Nuno Espirito Santo celebrates during West Ham's win over Newcastle United
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Feyenoord are under pressure to sell the player in January so they do not lose him for free at the end of the season.
It’s claimed West Ham are still hoping to secure his signature after holding off a move in the summer.
Ironically, Nuno was also said to be interested in Timber during the summer window.
Hammers News put it to a top transfer source at West Ham whether there is any truth in claims the club is looking to go for Timber in January.
And it appears Nuno has signed off on the move with the player described as ‘the missing piece’ to the midfield jigsaw in east London.
‘Nuno likes Timber so it makes sense’
“There will be plenty of interest from elsewhere and Timber believes he should be playing Champions League football,” the leading West Ham transfer source told Hammers News.
“But Nuno likes him and wanted him at Forest so it makes sense.
“There’s a feeling he could be the missing piece for the manager.”
West Ham will actually be without Paqueta for their next game at Bournemouth after the international break.
So that will give Nuno and fans an idea of what the team might look like in terms of creativity when the Brazilian is unavailable.
Timber would bring much-needed physical power with technical skill to West Ham’s midfield.
His dribbling and ball-carrying would be a massive string to the side’s bow in the middle of the park.