Head Coach Graham Potter has confirmed Igor Julio and Soungoutou Magassa are in contention to make their West Ham United debuts against Tottenham Hotspur, and has provided a fitness update on Niclas Füllkrug.
The Hammers welcome Spurs in the Premier League on Saturday for a 5.30pm kick-off at London Stadium, and will be looking to claim our first home win of the 2025/26 campaign following an emphatic 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest before the international break.
Füllkrug suffered a calf problem while away with Germany on international duty and missed his country's home win over Northern Ireland in FIFA World Cup qualifying. However, it appears to be only a minor injury and he could be in contention for the weekend.
“There are no absentees,” Potter confirmed, speaking in his pre-match press conference. "We've got Niclas Füllkrug, who's had a slight issue with his calf from international duty, so he came [home] early. He's trained lightly today, but we'll see how he reacts, but apart from that, everybody's okay.”
Potter also confirmed that deadline-day signing Igor, who joined on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, will be part of the matchday squad and could make his competitive debut for the Hammers on Saturday.
“He's trained really well, has fit into the group really well, and is a positive character, so we're happy,” added Potter.
“I think we've got good competition there (in defence) now, have good balance left and right, and Igor can cover at centre-back and full-back, so I'm happy with that position and happy that the window has finished and with where we are.”
Mateus Fernandes made an impressive start in midfield when he helped West Ham to open their Premier League account for the campaign on Trentside, and could make his home debut this weekend, while striker Callum Wilson, who deservedly got off the mark in Claret and Blue against Forest, could make his first start for the Hammers.
Elsewhere, the Head Coach expressed his delight at having exciting winger Crysencio Summerville at his disposal once again after he made his eagerly awaited return to the pitch from an almost eight-month injury with a stunning cameo off the bench at Forest, as well as the return of Łukasz Fabiański, who was welcomed back into the squad, having signed a contract until the end of the 2025/26 season, and will form part of the first-team goalkeeping setup.
“He (Wilson) has been great, as we expected, and is a fantastic professional,” added Potter. “He is a great person around the Club, around the training ground. We're still building him up, as he hasn't had a pre-season with the team, but his impact against Forest was fantastic, I thought.
“So we're delighted with Callum, delighted with where he's at, but at the same time understand where he's also been and what we need to do to carry on helping him make sure that he plays, has the impact, plays his minutes, and contributes to the team.
“I think he (Mateus Fernandes) gave us an extra dimension [at Forest], and having Cry (Summerville) available off the bench also gave us another extra dimension. It's the first time he (Summerville) has been available since our first game [in January at Aston Villa in the FA Cup], ironically, and it’s great to have him back, and he's worked really hard to get back.
“It's been a long road for him, and he's had a couple of setbacks, so credit to him that he's kept going and he's shown that mental strength.
"Now we just need to help him enjoy his football, because if he's doing that, then he's a big help for us.
“When you know Łukasz as well as we do and how he is and who he is, the type of goalkeeper he is, and the person he is, it was an obvious choice for us. He brings a lot of character, personality and standards, and he's an incredible professional, so we're really pleased.
"He's towards the end of his career, but there's still life there for sure. I think he can also add some of the dimension to his development, which I think is important.”