West Ham face a pivotal January transfer window that may well determine their Premier League survival, but manager Nuno Espírito Santo also faces the threat of losing players.
Players who could leave West Ham in January
Niclas Füllkrug tops the departure list following his disastrous £27 million move from Borussia Dortmund, with the 32-year-old’s spell marred by repeated injury lay-offs.
He’s scored just three goals since arriving in 2024, failing to find the net at all this season, and his agent, Thorsten Wirth, has publicly acknowledged the transfer simply hasn’t worked.
“Looking back, we have to say the transfer didn’t work out. There’s no point in sugar-coating it,” Wirth told the TOMorrow Business Podcast last month.
“This always has to happen in cooperation with the club [leaving], but I believe it can make sense to change something there.”
Fullkrug is reportedly desperate for regular playing time to salvage his 2026 World Cup hopes, with Hamburg, Wolfsburg, Stuttgart, Hoffenheim and AC Milan all expressing rumoured interest in the Germany international ahead of January.
There is also the matter of James Ward-Prowse, who’s been completely excluded by Nuno ever since the Portuguese’s arrival at Rush Green.
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West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far |
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Sunderland 3-0 West Ham |
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West Ham 1-5 Chelsea |
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Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham |
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West Ham 0-3 Tottenham |
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West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace |
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Everton 1-1 West Ham |
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Arsenal 2-0 West Ham |
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West Ham 0-2 Brentford |
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Leeds 2-1 West Ham |
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West Ham 3-1 Newcastle |
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West Ham 3-2 Burnley |
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Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham |
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West Ham 0-2 Liverpool |
The 30-year-old was a firm regular under Graham Potter and named vice-captain, but Nuno’s appointment has seen him miss out on every single Premier League matchday squad.
Ward-Prowse is resigned to leaving West Ham in January as a result, with reports suggesting he could be joined by Guido Rodriguez as the Argentine attracts interest from abroad.
They may not be the only midfielders set for the London Stadium exit door either, as uncertainty continues to surround the future of Lucas Paqueta.
The Brazil international, who sent an interesting response to backlash surrounding his ridiculous sending off against Liverpool over the weekend, is reportedly open to the prospect of a mid-season exit and could well leave as their most high-profile departure.
Former West Ham senior scout, Mick Brown, has now told Football Insider that Paqueta leaving the club is a credible possibility.
West Ham set for ‘big decision’ over selling Lucas Paqueta
Brown says that West Ham are set for a ‘big decision’ over selling Paqueta next month, and Nuno will be ‘fuming’ about the 28-year-old’s conduct against Liverpool following one of the most bizarre dismissals you’ll ever see.
“It was a stupid red card to get, and one he could have avoided.
“The manager will have been rightly fuming with him, because losing him in that game was a blow and now he’s going to be missed for their next game too.
“Of course that then raises questions about his future there, because there’s been a lot of talk about whether he might leave even before this.
“He’s certainly their most talented player, and probably their most creative player too, so in the position they’re in they can’t really afford to lose somebody like that.
“But if he’s going to be a disruptive influence in terms of how he handles himself on the pitch, it may be something they decide is worth taking the hit for.
“If they get an offer for him in January from one of these clubs who have been interested in him, then it wouldn’t surprise me if they were to let him go.
“It’s a big decision and something they have to seriously consider now because of his actions.”
The former Lyon star, who was once on the verge of joining Man City before his spot-fixing allegations scuppered the deal, will leave the club in 2027 as things stand when his contract is due to expire.
Paqueta has already admitted that he desires a return to Flamengo one day, and admitted the move was actually close to happening last summer.
“Maybe I shouldn’t even be saying this, but I had some conversations with Filipe (Luís), who is a friend, in addition to the work he’s doing at Flamengo.
“I really expressed my desire to return and also showed it to my agents.
“It was a difficult decision because I’m 28 years old, it’s very young, and I still have a lot of market value outside of here. I’ve been doing my job well, but it was a very strong desire. And I tried very hard, but unfortunately, once again, I decided to respect my club, not to force anything, because it’s a club that supported me, that I have enormous affection for.
“So I let it happen, and it really didn’t. I understood that it wasn’t the right time, but I know the doors will always be open for me. I know that at some point this return will happen.”
Nuno will need a replacement for Paqueta if he does leave, but West Ham are believed to be in the market for a new midfielder.
