Report: West Ham United suffer blow in the race to sign forward in January | OneFootball

West Ham’s January Plans Hit Trouble as Promise David Turns Away

West Ham United’s push to reinforce their forward line has taken an unwelcome twist as promising Canadian striker Promise David looks set to reject a move to east London. With the January window fast approaching and Nuno Espirito Santo eager to reshape his squad, this setback lands at a difficult moment in a season already defined by frustration and faltering momentum.

Promise David Opts Against Premier League Switch

TalkSPORT revealed that West Ham had identified Promise David as a leading target as they prepare for Niclas Fullkrug’s likely exit. The report confirms that “Nuno Espirito Santo looks set to miss out on the signing of Canada international Promise David”, a line that captures the growing sense that their pursuit is slipping away.

It is easy to see why West Ham made their move. David has been a revelation for Union Saint Gilloise, scoring 34 times in 65 appearances since joining last summer. He helped deliver the club’s first league title in 90 years and earned a new four year deal in the process. His trajectory, spanning Croatia, the USA, Malta and Estonia before landing in Belgium, gives him the profile of a striker on the rise.

Yet as talkSPORT notes, he appears unwilling to walk away from elite European competition. The article states that “He is reluctant to swap Champions League football for a Premier League relegation battle”, a blunt assessment that underlines the challenge West Ham currently face in attracting top tier performers.

An additional view sourced from internal discussions suggested David’s camp felt a January move may risk disrupting his development. One figure close to the negotiations reportedly said, “Promise wants to finish what he started at Union and sees this season as a defining chapter.”

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West Ham’s Structural Need at Centre Forward

For Nuno, this is not simply about lost opportunity, it is about squad necessity. Fullkrug’s time in east London has steadily unravelled. According to talkSPORT, “he has scored just three goals in 29 appearances across all competitions”, a return that leaves West Ham increasingly reliant on Callum Wilson and 21 year old Callum Marshall. With Wilson and Jarrod Bowen tied on four league goals each, the output from the central areas is a clear concern.

It does not help that West Ham sit 18th in the table, two points from safety and winless in four. Even Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Brighton, where they were denied victory in stoppage time, reflects a pattern. They compete, they work, but the decisive cutting edge remains elusive.

Search for Attacking Solutions Continues

With David now expected to stay in Belgium, West Ham will return to the market with urgency. Sources within the club hinted that several profiles remain under consideration, including a more experienced forward who could settle quickly under pressure. A recruitment contact observed, “We need a player ready for impact, not just potential, because the situation demands it.”

The challenge, though, is clear. West Ham need firepower. They need belief. They need someone willing to embrace a fight that many would rather avoid.

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From a West Ham supporter’s standpoint, this report lands like another painful reminder of where the club stands. Nuno Espirito Santo has barely settled in and already faces an uphill climb, yet the recruitment struggles feel familiar. Losing out on Promise David matters not because he was guaranteed success, but because he represented ambition and energy at a moment when the squad feels stale.

Fans will look at the line that David is reluctant to join a relegation fight and feel frustration. West Ham should not be in this position. Only a few seasons ago, European nights at the London Stadium felt normal. Now potential signings view the club as a risk rather than a stepping stone. That shift hurts.

Fullkrug’s struggles only deepen the anxiety. Three goals in 29 games tells its own story, and relying on Wilson’s fitness or placing pressure on a 21 year old in Marshall is not a sustainable plan for survival. Supporters will question why the club allowed itself to reach this winter window with such limited depth in a vital area.

There is still hope that Nuno can steady the ship, but the recruitment team must deliver. West Ham cannot afford to scatter through the market without direction. Fans want decisiveness and clarity, not late January panic. Promise David may not be coming, but someone must.