Nuno Espirito Santo spoke frequently about the need to ‘rebalance’ his West Ham United squad during the January transfer window.
With five new arrivals and even more departures, the Hammers boss certainly saw his wish come true.
Nuno accepts that he didn’t get all he wanted from the winter window. But two centre-forwards in Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos, a Premier League proven ‘supersub’ in Adama Traore and a highly-experienced defensive colossus in Axel Disasi? Nuno Espirito Santo can have relatively few complaints.
Let’s hear it then – what have you made of Adama Traore so far? 🤔
Not much game time but have you seen anything that’s impressed you?
A graphic asking West Ham fans to grade Adama Traore's performance so far.
Credit: Getty Images/Rob Newell – CameraSport
And after AC Milan agreed terms with Niclas Fullkrug reportedly before Christmas day, West Ham United also managed to avoid a distracting mid-season saga regarding a striker whose future dominated plenty of column inches in the lead up to the festive period.
Before Milan signed him on an initial loan deal, Wolfsburg held talks with the Germany international, only to discover that Serie A was Fullkrug’s preferred destination.
Top-flight minnows Augsburg were priced out. And so too were Werder Bremen.
Werder Bremen wanted Niclas Fullkrug before West Ham United flop joined AC Milan
If Werder had deeper pockets, Fullkrug might again be wearing the green shirt he donned on two separate occasions between 2011 and 2023. The late-blooming centre-forward scored a career-best 16 Bundesliga goals during a prolific final season at the Weser Stadion, earning himself a move to German giants Borussia Dortmund in the process.
Niclas Fullkrug during AC Milan v US Lecce - Serie A
Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
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Clemens Fritz, Werder’s head of professional football, confirms that discussions did indeed take place about bringing the prodigal son back home for a third spell.
Like Augsburg, though, the financial aspect got in the way.
“We wanted to bring Niclas Fullkrug back,” Fritz tells Sport BILD. “I spoke to him two or three times when he was at West Ham United. But we knew that, from an economic perspective, our chances were very slim.
“And, if a club like AC Milan were interested, it would not be feasible.”
Hammers really dodged a bullet with Victor Boniface
Things are about to get VERY tough! 😟
How many points can you see us picking up here?
West Ham United's Portuguese head coach Nuno Espírito Santo reacts during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the London Stadium in east London on February 10, 2026.
Fritz reluctantly accepts that Werder’s Victor Boniface gamble has not hit the jackpot.
A former West Ham target – Tim Steidten may have signed the then-Bayer Leverkusen striker for a club-record £50 million if he had gotten his way – a now injury-stricken Boniface has not featured in two months.
Still, although Boniface failed to score in his eleven Bundesliga outings for the 2003/04 double winners, Fritz has no regrets about taking a punt on the once-prolific Nigeria international.
“You have to be bold with transfers, especially since Victor Boniface possesses top-level quality, which he demonstrated during his time in Leverkusen,” Fritz says of a striker who was on West Ham’s radar throughout much of his time at the Bay Arena.
“In retrospect – and we have to be self-critical about this – the plan with Victor didn’t work out.”
The same can be said of West Ham and Niclas Fullkrug.
Shortly after he opened his Rossoneri account with a headed winner against Cagliari, Fullkrug lifted the lid on a fresh start in Italy.
“I feel so comfortable here. I feel at ease,” he said, clearly happy to escape the unrelenting glare of the English game. “I’m happy, my family is happy, we like the way the people are. The people are very warm.
“Obviously, Milan is a very special club, and everywhere I go, I see love from the fans, and that makes life much easier.”
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