Report: West Ham United eyeing late January deals | OneFootball

West Ham reshuffle squad as loans and short-term thinking shape January plans

Credit to The Guardian for the original reporting on a West Ham window that feels driven as much by necessity as by opportunity. The decisions outlined point to a club searching for immediate solutions, while quietly accepting that structural problems cannot be fixed in a fortnight.

The early termination of Igor Julio’s loan to Brighton is more than an administrative move. It is an acknowledgement that this squad needs flexibility. As reported, “West Ham have made space for loan moves for Tottenham’s Antonin Kinsky and Chelsea’s Axel Disasi by sending Igor Julio back to Brighton.” That line alone captures a January defined by juggling rules, not just players.

Goalkeeper uncertainty and Kinsky dilemma

West Ham’s interest in Antonin Kinsky highlights a wider lack of clarity in goal. The Guardian notes that “West Ham have inquired about Kinsky, who joined Spurs from Slavia Prague last year, and would like the goalkeeper on loan with an option to buy.” Yet the piece also underlines the core problem, “the 22-year-old Czech wants regular football and it is unclear whether he would dislodge Alphonse Areola in West Ham’s lineup.”

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That uncertainty matters. A goalkeeper on loan without a guaranteed role solves very little. The article adds that Kinsky “may stay at Spurs, where is backup to Guglielmo Vicario, if he is not to be first choice under Nuno.” From a West Ham perspective, that makes the move feel speculative rather than strategic.

Defensive concerns and Disasi option

The defensive record paints a grim picture. As The Guardian reports, “They have not kept a clean sheet since August and are looking at a loan for Disasi.” That alone explains the urgency. Axel Disasi, who “has not played for Chelsea this season and is up for sale,” offers experience and physicality, but also carries questions about rhythm and sharpness.

Loan solutions can stabilise, but they rarely transform. Disasi would be a short-term plaster on a defence that appears to need deeper surgery.

Squad churn and short-term deals

Elsewhere, movement continues. James Ward-Prowse is “out of favour up for sale,” with Burnley interested, while Adama Traoré arrives on a six-month deal to provide cover for Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville. Nuno’s familiarity with Traoré at Wolves suggests trust, but also highlights how familiar names are being leaned on to steady a wobbling campaign.

Overall, this feels like a window shaped by survival thinking. It may bring short-term relief, but it also underlines how far West Ham are from long-term clarity.

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From a West Ham supporter’s perspective, this report reads like a club firefighting rather than building. The idea of juggling loan slots just to bring in a goalkeeper and a defender says a lot about where the squad planning has gone wrong.

Kinsky feels like a gamble. If he does not start, then what has really changed. Areola has had good moments, but consistency has been missing, and fans are crying out for certainty at the back. Bringing in a young keeper who also wants guarantees could easily become another half-finished story.

Disasi is more intriguing. Supporters will see his size and pedigree and think he could help immediately. But the fact he has not played this season raises fears about sharpness. West Ham need leaders in defence, not just bodies.

The wider concern is that this window feels reactive. Ward-Prowse being out of favour after arriving with such expectation is symbolic. Fans will ask how recruitment has ended up here so quickly.

Traoré is a familiar face and will excite some, but six-month deals feel like sticking plasters. For supporters watching week after week, this looks like a club buying time rather than building a clear identity.