Nuno Espirito Santo at Leeds United.placeholder image
Nuno Espirito Santo at Leeds United. | AFP via Getty Images
Nuno Espirito Santo is in the market for a new striker in January but West Ham will face competition for one target.
West Ham and Leeds United could find themselves locked in a relegation dogfight come the end of the season and that rivalry could be ignited in the January transfer window.
The two sides currently sit 17th and 18th in the Premier League table, the Whites one place and three points above the Hammers. The two sides meet at the London Stadium in a potentially huge match on the final day of the season with Leeds United having already beaten the London outfit 2-1 at Elland Road.
Both clubs made similar free transfer moves for experienced top flight strikers in the summer. West Ham turned to Callum Wilson while Leeds United opted for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has been in fine form over recent weeks.
West Ham and Leeds United target Man Utd striker
Even with those additions, the two teams are expected to prioritise a move for another striker in January to add firepower to their survival charge. One of those targets could be Manchester United man Joshua Zirkzee.
The 24-year-old has struggled for consistent game time at Old Trafford and has been linked with a move away. Serie A outfit AS Roma are the latest to be linked and the report from Italian outlet Il Messaggero suggests that West Ham and Leeds United will provide competition.
It’s claimed that Roma have held talks with Manchester United over a potential transfer but that Leeds United and West Ham have also made enquiries.
It’s added that Zirkzee is not all too tempted to sign on for a relegation battle at the London Stadium or Elland Road, with a move to the Serie A more tempting for the striker. Zirkzee has maintained the backing of Ruben Amorim despite not being first choice.
Ruben Amorim backs Joshua Zirkzee
After Zirkzee played 90 minutes and scored in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, Amorim said: “I think we have more intensity in the second half, we played better in the second half and the opponent in the second half was more tired. Everything was connected. The small things. The way that Josh [Zirkzee] controlled the ball in the second half was different. The way we defend second balls was different. So these small details make the difference and then the talent so we score two.
“It’s so important for the strikers to score goals. He’s not playing many minutes but the way he responds in the second-half is so important. It is more important than just the goals. Again, the small details, win the first ball so we can win the second ball, the connection, that is so important for our game. And the goal is really important for us and for him.”
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