The stunning £35m January transfer that West Ham must hijack in order to save their season

West Ham are embroiled in a relegation battle at the bottom of the Premier League. They are inside the drop zone along with Wolves and Burnley after 23 fixtures and are five points from safety behind Nottingham Forest in 17th.

The Hammers won 3-1 at home to Sunderland last time out to boost their survival hopes but still need to string many more positive results together in order to survive - and could perhaps stand to improve their squad before Monday’s transfer deadline as well. A few targets are alleged to be on their radar, but one who has been connected with a move to the London Stadium this month should surely be right at the top of their list of priorities - especially as other teams enter the bidding...

West Ham should hijack Fenerbahçe swoop for Ademola Lookman

West Ham have been linked with a move for Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman in the past, and now that the Hammers have the chance to bolster their ranks before the end of the January transfer window he could be a name who comes around again - but if West Ham do want to sign Lookman, they’ve left it too late to avoid facing any competition.

In this latest update regarding Lookman’s future this winter, journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported he is close to a switch to Fenerbahçe. Romano posted on X: “Fenerbahçe are closing in on Ademola Lookman deal with Atalanta! Following new meeting today, deal at final stages for €40m [£35m] package — with add-ons included. More steps needed on payment terms and bank guarantees as key steps to get it done.”

Lookman, 28, sees his contract at Atalanta expire in June 2027, meaning he is due to become a free agent next year and that could encourage Atalanta to sell a player they have tried grimly to hold on to in the past. He has made 19 appearances in all competitions this season, 12 of which have come in Serie A, and he has chipped in with three goals and two assists. However, it now appears he will be heading out the exit door for a new challenge in Turkey, unless another of his admirers steps in.

West Ham should, surely, consider a late hijack for the player though. He could be ideal for Nuno’s side and would suit their counter-attacking style of play - and the prospect of a return to England may be something that turns his head away from a move to Istanbul.

Why Atalanta’s Lookman would be ideal for West Ham

Lookman would add more quality to West Ham’s attacking department which is what they need right now as they look to beat the drop. If he joined, he would give them more competition and depth going forward - and, inn addition, would offer them something different on the wing.

The Nigeria international, who has 41 caps to his name, could battle it out with the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville for a place in their team. His pace and technical trickery would be a useful weapon and would suit the way Nuno likes his teams to play on the break. Furthermore, he has experience of playing in this country which would come in handy and it shouldn’t take him long to settle in.

Lookman started his career at Charlton Athletic and rose up through their academy ranks. He was a regular for the Addicks at various different youth levels before breaking into their first team as a youngster. Everton then lured him to Merseyside back in 2017 and he spent two years at Goodison Park before moving on.

The London-born man left for Germany and had a spell at RB Leipzig, some of which he spent away on loan at both Fulham and Leicester City to boost his development. Atalanta subsequently came calling for his services in 2022 and he has since become one of their most prized assets, famously scoring a hat-trick in the Europa League final as they stunned Bayer Leverkusen to lift the continent’s second biggest trophy in 2024. That big-game quality could make all the difference for West Ham - who have a lot of big games ahead as they battle the drop.

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