West Ham United are plotting an ambitious January double swoop for Spanish and Belgian stars as they look to turn their season around.
With Nuno Espirito Santo already struggling to turn things around, the Hammers hierarchy are desperately hoping the two signings could provide the spark needed to save their Premier League lives.
West Ham are in grave danger of dropping into the Championship after three defeats in a row under new boss Nuno.
While the 2-0 loss at title favourites Arsenal was expected and somewhat acceptable given the resilience shown, defeats to Brentford and Leeds have been anything but.
Nuno made a host of bizarre changes for both games and they backfired spectacularly as West Ham lost 2-0 to the Bees and then 2-1 at Leeds.
Nuno wants new strikers at West Ham in January
In both games, Nuno started without a striker, much to the frustration of fans.
While Niclas Fullkrug has been injured, Nuno still had Callum Wilson and Callum Marshall in reserve but opted to start Lucas Paqueta as a false nine instead.
It actually only took Nuno one game to identify his biggest problem at the London Stadium.
After the draw at Everton, widespread reports claimed Nuno has told West Ham’s board he must sign at least one striker in January.
With the Hammers now firmly ensconced in the bottom three, that will be a necessity if they are to survive in the Premier League.
Now it seems the Portuguese may get two.
The Spanish and Belgian double raid West Ham think can save their season in January has been revealed.
West Ham have been linked with a host of forwards since Nuno arrived.
Man United outcast Joshua Zirkzee and Real Madrid’s Endrick are among the names being consistently mentioned with regard to joining the Hammers in the winter window.
But journalist Alan Nixon claims there are two other forwards very much in West Ham’s sights.
It seems Nuno has fallen in love with the idea of signing Romeo.
West Ham plan Spanish and Belgian double raid to save season
According to Nixon on his Patreon, the Hammers want to sign Club Brugges’s brilliant young Belgian forward Romeo Vermant.
It is claimed West Ham had 21-year-old Vermant watched when Brugge lost 4-0 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.
Although Vermant, who plays as a striker or second striker, scored the winner when Brugge were back in league action against Antwerp at the weekend.
Vermant is being tipped to become a top future star for the Belgium national team and Nixon says West Ham ‘want to get in quick’ and sign him in January.
He also states West Ham have been told Club Brugge want at least £20 million for the star.
Nixon says the move for Vermant is one of several ‘major splashes’ West Ham are planning for the January transfer window.
Another is an ambitious raid on Barcelona for a young Spanish striker Pedro Fernández – who is just 17.
Nixon says the Hammers have enquired about a deal for the versatile young attacker, who can play up front, as a second striker or out wide.
Hammers want to lure Fernandez with guaranteed game time
Fernandez surprisingly started for Barca in the second striker role in a 6-1 Champions League win over Olympiacos in midweek.
Nixon says the Hammers want to try and sign Fernandez, perhaps initially on loan, because they have been led to believe the young starlet knows he is going to struggle to play regularly.
West Ham are ‘compiling a dossier’ in case the door springs open for bidders either in January or the summer.
Whether Vermant and Fernandez are the right profile of player to help West Ham turn their season around is open to debate.
Both have the pace, athleticism and guile the Hammers sorely lack.
Nuno is perhaps also looking to bring in players who have an element of fearlessness about their play given West Ham look like rabbits in the headlights at the moment.
