West Ham Bolster Attack & Other Transfer News | OneFootball

We’re six days into the winter transfer window, and we’ve already seen some big shakeups. Here’s a summary of some of the action.

West Ham Bolster Attack

Struggling West Ham have 21 goals so far in the campaign, joint fifth lowest with Sunderland. To resolve this issue, they’ve pulled the trigger on two new forwards. 

Brazilian striker Pablo Felipe was the first signing, for a $24.7M fee (plus add-ons). He comes from Portugal’s Gil Vicente, where he scored 10 goals in 13 appearances. But he’s also coming off an injury that kept him sidelined most of December. At only 22 years old, Pablo could be a savvy investment for the club. Here’s what he had to say: “I want to send a strong message that I have come to prove my worth. I know I am a young player, but I know that at this club you have to give your all, and we have to give our best for the club and for our teammates.”

Next on the dock was Lazio’s Valentín “Taty” Castellanos. The Argentinian forward has more maturity (he’s 27), but has been riddled with injury this season. He has 2g/3a in 11 appearances, but previous season’s numbers are much stronger. His transfer was worth $34M.

To make way for the new blood, Niklas Füllkrug was loaned out to AC Milan earlier this month. The 32-year old German never meshed with his West Ham teammates and was considered a wash-out, particularly considering his hefty $36M price-tag. The club also sold winger Luis Guillherme to Sporting for $19M, cushioning the financial blow of the two new signings.

Of course, all these moves on the offense don’t solve West Ham’s biggest issue: their defense. The back line has more holes than a wheel of Swiss cheese, and has conceded a league-high 41 goals so far, over 2.15 per game. Nuno will have to look there if he hopes to manage from a bubble-filled touchline in the spring.

Palace Splash the Cash

A club notoriously stingy for their transfer spending just broke their record in signing Welsh winger Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur. The $47.3M fee was nearly $12M more than they spent on Christian Benteke back in 2016.

Manager Oliver Glasner, whose disappointment with the summer transfer window was no secret, praised the quick action of the Palace board in completing the transfer. “Brennan will give us options in our attacking play with his pace and goalscoring ability and with all the upcoming games he will be a valuable addition to the squad,” Glasner was quoted as saying.

Johnson had been underutilized in Thomas Frank’s Spurs side, only starting six games this season. He logged just over 600 minutes in 16 appearances with two goals scored. And yes, Johnson does have an eagle tattoo on his left bicep.

A Groß Return

Brighton announced the return of former captain Pascal Groß until the end of the season. He had left the Seagulls to join Borussia Dortmund back in August of 2024. The transfer fee was a modest $2.4M for the 34 year old defensive midfielder.

You Can’t Keep a Tall Man Down

Fraser Forster, a 6’7” goalkeeper, has been plucked from the limbo of “without club” status to sign with Bournemouth through the end of the season. The 37 year old will be a back-up for starter Djordje Petrovic. This will be Forster’s eighth different club in his 19 year career.