Over the summer, Mohammed Kudus became the first player to leave West Ham United for Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur since Scott Parker in 2011.
But after 14 years without a single player transferring between the two London neighbours for money, could two come around in the space of a few months?
Insert London bus-based pun here.
While Nuno Espirito Santo wants a striker in the building in January, alongside an athletic midfielder and ideally another central defender, reports suggesting that West Ham United may be in the market for a winger will raise a few eyebrows.
Crysencio Summerville is making progress under Nuno, while Jarrod Bowen has the right-hand side locked down.
Yet, according to Spanish publication El Periodico de Mediterraneo, West Ham have positioned themselves as a potential solution to Manor Solomon’s recent lack of game time on loan at Villarreal.
Speculation which has drawn a speedy response from Solomon’s agent, while also cooking up plenty of debate in the Israeli media.
Avi Meller tells Manor Solomon to leave Tottenham Hotspur for West Ham United
Ironically enough, Solomon was the man chosen to replace Summerville at Leeds United when West Ham signed their number seven in a £30 million deal back in 2024.
The former arguably outperformed the latter at Elland Road, too even if Summerville did leave West Yorkshire the Championship’s Player of the Year.
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With 10 goals and 12 assists in 39 second-tier games – including a stoppage-time, Sergio Aguerooooo-esque final day winner at Plymouth Argyle – Solomon is perhaps the biggest reason why Leeds are playing Premier League football today.
Speculation regarding a potential return to Elland Road has inevitably reared its head a few months on from his Home Park jubilation.
Sport5 reporter Avi Meller is keen to see what Nuno can do with Solomon at his disposal, though.
“Leeds could have brought Solomon back but gave up,” Meller says. “West Ham is [now] a more suitable stop.
“Nuno Espirito Santo is a coach who knows how to integrate players like Solomon.”
Nuno Espirito Santo wants former Wolves ace Adama Traore
The West Ham boss turned Adama Traore into a force at Wolves, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga played their best football under him at Nottingham Forest last season.
Interest in the aforementioned Traore – Hammers News reported back in October that Nuno is keen to reunite with the Fulham flyer in East London – does at least give some credence to those Solomon links. There is room, it seems, in Nuno’s roster for another wideman.
It is understood that Tottenham wanted around £20 million for the former Shakhtar Donetsk and Fulham ace over the summer. His Villarreal contract does not contain an option-to-buy clause, meaning Spurs will again be looking for a permanent solution in 2026.
Agent Shlomi Ben Ezra says staying at Villarreal is the priority
Shlomi Ben Ezra, Solomon’s agent, insists that there is little chance that his time in Spain will be cut short, though. He has only started one La Liga match so far, but the silky wideman is determined to come back stronger from a recent injury.
“He will be fit after the international break,” Ben Ezra tells Sport5. “It’s not really appropriate to say right now that he’s not doing well. He’s at a great team and I believe he’ll take his place in the line-up later in the season.
“He’s happy there. He’s joined one of the best teams in Spain, he’s happy with the decision. He’s aware of the competition and it only does him good.