West Ham United face strong competition from Newcastle United for one of our key transfer targets in the January transfer window it seems.
The January transfer window will be crucial to Graham Potter‘s hopes of overseeing some real progress at West Ham.
A flurry of transfer activity is now expected at West Ham, after the arrival of Kyle Macaulay from Chelsea.
And my word, do we need some new faces at the London Stadium.
The priority for the Hammers undoubtedly needs to be the signing of a new striker before next week’s transfer deadline day.
West Ham United’s English head coach Graham Potter shouts instructions to the players from the touchline during the English Premier League football…
Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images
Michail Antonio, Niclas Fullkrug are both out with long-term injuries, and Jarrod Bowen has only just return to training from a lengthy lay-off.
Now the need for a signing of a centre-forward is an urgent one.
However, Newcastle could be set to scupper one of our plans.
Newcastle looking to hijack West Ham January window striker deal
The need for attacking reinforcements at West Ham is painfully obvious to see.
Potter is a fine manager, but he needs to be given the tools to succeed, and the signing of a new striker this window should be a necessity.
However, the Hammers could be up against it now.
That’s because Newcastle are willing to pay £16 million to sign Semih Kilicsoy from Besiktas in the January window, according to Turkish publication Milliyet.
The Hammers have been strongly linked with signing the 19-year-old striker sensation for months on end now.
And we were most recently suggested as a potential destination for the teenager only last week.
Unai Nunez of Athletic Club controls the ball whilst under pressure from Semih Kilicsoy of Besiktas during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Ph…
Photo by Ahmad Mora – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Kilicsoy is an incredible talent, so missing out on him to Newcastle would be a major blow for the Hammers.
Semih Kilicsoy is perfect for West Ham
He has a decent record for someone so young, with 14 goals and nine assists in 68 games for Besiktas to his name (Transfermarkt).
However, I fully expect him to improve upon those numbers over the next few years when he gets more experienced at making the correct runs at the right time.
Kilicsoy is a striker by trade, but he can operate on both wings as well if need be.
The teenager is incredibly mobile, possesses really impressive movement and has blistering pace to boot.
He has absolutely everything we are currently lacking int he centre-forward department at the London Stadium right now.
With that in mind, losing out on the signing of Semih Kilicsoy to Newcastle in the January window would really hurt West Ham.
