Hammers News

West Ham United travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend for what will be a vitally important game for both sides.

It’s fair to say that West Ham are more in need of the points than Tottenham but the way things have been going under Thomas Frank, a defeat to one of their fiercest rivals would not go down well.

The Premier League clash this weekend between the two London clubs should be an absolute cracker.

Tottenham could be without seven players for the West Ham clash and it’s a game that could see the end of Frank in the Spurs dugout if they fail to win.

Would you take relegation if it meant that David Sullivan would leave?! 🤔

Not a nice position to be in – but what would YOU choose if you had to?

Meanwhile, Nuno Espirito Santo has problems of his own, with Lucas Paqueta’s future unclear and the Brazilian allegedly refusing to play for West Ham against QPR on Sunday.

Saturday’s clash is more than just a must-not-lose for both sides. Nothing less than three points will do for Tottenham and West Ham.

Premier League make announcement ahead of Tottenham vs West Ham

There is huge excitement building already ahead of the London derby this weekend.

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However, the Premier League may have just put somewhat of a dampener on proceedings.

The Premier League have announced via their official website that Jarred Gillett will referee the Spurs vs Hammers clash on Saturday.

When the two clubs met at the London Stadium earlier on this season, Gillett ruled out Cristian Romero’s goal after deeming that Micky van de Ven had fouled Kyle Walker-Peters in the buildup.

The Tottenham players thought that the decision was an incredibly poor one, and it even prompted James Maddison to lament the standard of officiating after the game.

During the 14 Tottenham games that Gillett has officiated, the north London outfit have lost seven and won seven.

The Australian has handed out an incredible 33 yellow cards to Spurs players during those games, and one red card.

Gillett is someone who has caused plenty of controversy during his fairly short Premier League career.

West Ham have history with Jarred Gillett as well

Hammers fans will remember their trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in September 2022.

How much confidence does the win over QPR give you heading into Spurs? 👀

Oh, how sweet it would be to start to turn things around against them 😍

West Ham lost 2-1 to Chelsea after a last minute equaliser from Maxwel Cornet was ruled out by VAR.

Gillett was the lead VAR official that day and David Moyes suggested after the game that he ‘shouldn’t be anywhere near football’ (The Mirror).

The 39-year-old Australian seems to have made more enemies than friends in the English game.

Hopefully we are not talking about Gillett after the Tottenham vs West Ham Premier League clash.

Both sides desperately need a win so it should be an exciting game of football, with plenty of attacking intent.

Losing Lucas Paqueta mid-season may be something many West Ham United fans can accept. Losing Lucas Paqueta to Tottenham Hotspur, well, that would be a different story.

Last summer, Mohammed Kudus became the first player in 14 years to swap the Hammers for Spurs.

After a decade-and-a-half of no business whatsoever between West Ham United and their neighbours to the north, could two controversial cross-city transfers occur in the space of a few short months?

According to Torcida Flamengo, Tottenham were advancing in talks with Lucas Paqueta last week.

Lucas Paqueta ‘wants to leave West Ham’ in the midst of a relegation battle – what’s your reaction?!

What was the point in this then? 🤔

While the Brazil international is not quite the fan favourite of old – that two-year spot-fixing probe, a series of poor performances and numerous transfer sagas have damaged his reputation in claret and blue – seeing Paqueta link up with Kudus in the white shirt of a hated rival would somehow make a miserable campaign even more painful.

Fortunately – if ‘fortunately’ is the right word to describe a situation in which West Ham’s number ten reportedly refused to play against QPR on Sunday – Paqueta has his heart set on a return to Brazil with Flamengo rather than a reunion with former teammate Kudus.

West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta to snub Tottenham Hotspur for Flamengo

According to Diario AS journalist Eduardo Burgos, Tottenham threatened to blow Flamengo out the water when making a superior bid to their rivals from across the Atlantic.

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Flamengo have already seen a £30 million bid rejected by West Ham, per The Guardian, though they are willing to go up to £35 million.

Now, most clubs would usually be happy enough to accept the bigger bid. But on occasions such as this, West Ham would be loath to lose another key player to Spurs, no matter how much money is on offer from the reigning Europa League champions.

The words of Brazilian reporter Rodrigo Mattos will be music to the ears, then, of those who were dreading the prospect of Paqueta threading through balls into Kudus’ path once again.

“I think his desire is clear. He wants to join Flamengo,” Mattos tells UOL Esporte. “Not just because he doesn’t want to go to Tottenham, which is a big English club, but also because he sees the atmosphere surrounding him in England, ever since the betting investigations began.

“He suffered a lot of reputational damage within England specifically. So I think that factor also plays into his desire to leave.”

Flamengo have enough money to spend on Brazil ace

Speaking to Globo Esporte a few months ago, Paqueta admitted he held talks with Flamengo as recently as last summer. The Rio-born playmaker started his career in the red and black stripes, and clearly feels he has unfinished business.

Their coffers boosted by their Club World Cup participation, Mattos explains that Flamengo now have just shy of £70 million to spend on wages and transfer fees. Paqueta would become the club’s record signing by some distance, then, but with plenty of money to spare.

“Investing half of what you have [to spend] for the season on a national team player isn’t absurd at all, right? Especially if you consider that the rest of your squad is already assembled,” Mattos adds.

“There is room for this Paqueta signing. Whether it will close, whether there will be an agreement, we’ll see. But it makes sense; there’s logic within Flamengo’s financial movement for an investment of that scale.

“He’s not coming to Flamengo [specifically] to go to the World Cup. He’s coming to Flamengo to be happy. He’s coming to Flamengo to play where he wants to play.”

How much confidence does the win over QPR give you heading into Spurs? 👀

Oh, how sweet it would be to start to turn things around against them 😍

Paqueta surely won’t feature when West Ham face Tottenham

Ironically, West Ham will face Tottenham as the Premier League returns next weekend. Say what you want about Paqueta’s professionalism or a lack thereof, his likely absence from Saturday’s London derby removes an unwanted distraction from proceedings.

“That’s the scenario: playing at a competitive level, at a level where he’s competing for titles, competing for wins, being challenged to play more and better because the opponents in the Libertadores and the Brasileirao will demand that of him. And then playing the World Cup later,” explains Mattos.

“Of course, playing in the Premier League is a challenge, but it’s a challenge from a different perspective, because West Ham isn’t challenging [for titles]. They can’t even get out of 18th place!

“So it’s a different kind of challenge.

“Paqueta doesn’t need to come to Flamengo to make the World Cup. He’s coming to Flamengo – if he comes – because he wants to play for Flamengo.”

The stars appear to be aligning for West Ham on and off the pitch ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with bitter rivals Spurs.

There is no love lost between the Hammers and Tottenham Hotspur but rarely has more been riding on a Premier League match between them than there is this weekend.

West Ham and Spurs have been so bad over the last two years that both their fanbases have been protesting for new owners.

Tottenham managed to win the Europa League to give themselves Champions League football and the added income that comes with it.

That has enabled Spurs to goad West Ham, especially since ending a 14-and-a-half-year transfer embargo by snatching away Mohammed Kudus for £54.5m in the summer.

Stars align for West Ham as Spurs crisis deepens

Whatever some Hammers fans feel about Kudus and his lack of end product, there is no doubt they have missed his explosive power and pace.

One look at the league table is evidence of that.

How much confidence does the win over QPR give you heading into Spurs? 👀

Oh, how sweet it would be to start to turn things around against them 😍

West Ham had their noses rubbed in it when Kudus starred in Tottenham’s 3-0 win over them a few weeks into what has been an utterly miserable campaign so far.

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While Tottenham fans think they have it bad enduring the struggles under yet another manager in Thomas Frank, the Hammers are cut adrift in the Premier League relegation zone.

Most have already written the Hammers off in their bid for survival with 17 games to go.

But a win over fierce rivals Spurs could breathe new life into West Ham’s fight.

And now the stars are aligning for West Ham as Spurs lose seven key players for the crucial clash that could see Frank sacked.

The atmosphere at Tottenham’s stadium is extremely volatile with the club once again massively underperforming as they sit 14th in the table.

After exiting the FA Cup, Spurs fans – many of whom have been calling for Frank’s head – are planning a protest against their owners ahead of and during the West Ham match.

Protests, 7 key stars out and Frank sack looms as Spurs host Hammers

Tottenham players have been bickering with supporters and speculation has been rife Frank could be sacked if he suffers a defeat to lowly West Ham.

Victory for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side could close the gap on safety to four points, giving the Hammers hope heading into the last 16 games.

Lucas Paqueta ‘wants to leave West Ham’ in the midst of a relegation battle – what’s your reaction?!

What was the point in this then? 🤔

West Ham won for the first time in 11 matches when beating QPR 2-1 in the FA Cup at the weekend.

So the Hammers head to Spurs with a bit more confidence.

Meanwhile Tottenham will go into the game without seven key stars – including their top goalscorer and their best player.

Tottenham’s top scorer and chief wind-up merchant Richarlison will miss the West Ham game through injury.

So too will that man Kudus, arguably Spurs’ best player this season, who is out until April.

Midfield duo Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur are both out as are long-term absentees Dejan Kulisevski and James Maddison.

Pape Sarr is still at AFCON, along with West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf. They play Egypt in the AFCON semi-final on Wednesday night.

Even if they are knocked out, their return to action for the weekend is not guaranteed.

Question marks over Gallagher and Paqueta for Spurs vs West Ham

Destiny Udogie is another who has been a doubt but is expected to be available.

Spurs could however be boosted by the signing of longstanding West Ham target Conor Gallagher while the Hammers may be without Lucas Paqueta, who refused to play in the FA Cup as he pushes for a move back to Brazil.

Spurs have also made an offer to West Ham for Paqueta.

With Frank under pressure to win to keep his job, disgruntled fans protesting against the owners and at odds with the players and a team already in poor form missing seven key stars there will arguably never be a better time for West Ham to beat Tottenham.

And a win over their rivals has arguably never been so important given their Premier League lives are very much on the line.

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been heavily linked with a shock move to Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.

It was only six months ago when West Ham sold Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham.

Now Paqueta could make the same move in the January transfer window, it seems.

However, what does Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo make of the situation? Does he want to keep the Brazilian at the London Stadium or is he happy to sanction his exit?

Would you take relegation if it meant that David Sullivan would leave?! 🤔

Not a nice position to be in – but what would YOU choose if you had to?

Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon in the summer of 2022 and arrived at the club with huge expectations on his shoulders.

However, aside from his through-ball to Jarrod Bowen in the Europa Conference League final in 2023, he hasn’t managed to justify the huge transfer fee that the Hammers paid for him.

Paqueta could well be nearing an exit from West Ham, but is Nuno happy to let him go?

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Tottenham eyeing shock Lucas Paqueta deal

It wouldn’t have been too long ago when claims of a West Ham player joining Tottenham would be laughed off as nothing more than mere speculation.

However, after the Kudus deal in the summer, that’s no longer the case.

The surprise links started last week.

Reports claimed that West Ham ace Paqueta is on the Tottenham radar in the January transfer window.

It was then claimed that Flamengo had joined Spurs in the race to sign Paqueta.

The Brazilian is said to be keen on a return to his homeland, but the opportunity to play in the Champions League this season may prove to be difficult to turn down for him.

Will he actually be allowed to leave the London Stadium, though?

Paqueta is still under contract with West Ham until the summer of 2027 after all, and the club have an option to extend that deal by a further 12 months.

Nuno makes Lucas Paqueta transfer decision

Paqueta’s future will surely all come down to how hard he pushes to leave this month.

Out of 10, how CONFIDENT are you that Nuno can still save West Ham?

Beating QPR in the FA Cup would be a start…

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Nuno actually wants to keep Paqueta at the London Stadium.

So, it will be really interesting now to see what happens with the 28-year-old.

If he does end up joining Tottenham, will that mean that the Hammers board have vetoed Nuno?

Or will the West Ham boss accept the fact that it’s better to get rid of a player who simply doesn’t want to be there, rather than keep him in the hope that he’ll produce the odd bit of magic here and there?

The prudent play may well be to just move him on. If West Ham can get anything like £25 million from Tottenham for Paqueta, selling him should be a no-brainer.

He simply hasn’t been good enough for the Hammers and his body language reeks of someone who does not want to be at the London Stadium.

West Ham United completed the signing of South American striker Taty Castellanos from Lazio on Monday and he’s raring to go against Tottenham next week.

Castellanos made his debut for West Ham the day after joining but unfortunately, he couldn’t help prevent the defeat to Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium.

West Ham paid around £26 million to sign Castellanos and the Hammers fans will be hoping that the Argentine will be able to fire their side back into a position of safety.

Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side are in real trouble right now and the next Premier League game they face is a trip to Tottenham on December 17th.

What are your EXPECTATIONS for Taty Castellanos? 🇦🇷

What does he need to do to justify that £27m price-tag?

The game will be vitally important for the Hammers and Spurs, considering just how disappointing the seasons have been for both sides.

However, Castellanos is clearly approaching the game with excitement, rather than trepidation, which is obviously a very good sign.

West Ham’s Taty Castellanos cannot wait to face one Tottenham player

The South American striker has been thrown in at the deep end at West Ham.

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He’s desperate to do everything he can to make a difference and fire the Hammers to Premier League safety.

For him, that will ideally start by getting one over one of his old mates next week.

Castellanos has just taken part in a quick-fire question and answer session on West Ham’s official TikTok account.

The West Ham striker was asked which player he is looking forward to facing most after his move to the Premier League.

Taty simply responded by saying: “Cuti Romero.“

Whichever player wins the battle out of Castellanos and Romero will likely have a huge bearing on the outcome of the match.

West Ham vs Tottenham clash will be crucial

Castellanos and Romero are the same age and have represented Argentina at different levels throughout their respective careers.

They obviously have huge respect for one another but on the football pitch, it really could be a proper old-school battle in nine days’ time.

Taty Castellanos showed promise but his stats were underwhelming…🤐

What did YOU make of his debut?

Romero is an aggressive, no-nonsense central defender.

Meanwhile, Castellanos plays with quintessential Argentinian fire in his belly, and despite their friendship, there will be no love lost at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next weekend.

West Ham desperately need a result against Tottenham and Castellanos will be looking to endear himself to the Hammers fans instantly by getting one over on Romero and his teammates.

West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur could be embroiled in a real transfer tussle in the summer it seems.

Both West Ham and Tottenham have huge work to do in the transfer market this winter.

However, the summer transfer window is where the two clubs will do the bulk of their recruitment work.

The Hammers have been busy already in January, with Nuno bringing South American strikers Pablo and Taty Castellanos to West Ham.

What are your EXPECTATIONS for Taty Castellanos? 🇦🇷

What does he need to do to justify that £27m price-tag?

There could be even more new arrivals at the London Stadium before the end of the month as well.

However, with so many potential incomings, there will surely be the odd big-name exit or two as well, so that the club is able to balance the books in order to comply with PSR regulations.

Lucas Paqueta could now join Tottenham from West Ham

Hammers midfielder Lucas Paqueta is thought to be firmly on Tottenham’s radar.

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It was actually claimed on Monday that Tottenham want to sign Paqueta in the current January transfer window.

However, that deal may now have to wait until the summer, it seems.

That’s according to Ben Jacobs who claims that West Ham fans should ‘keep an eye’ on the possibility of Paqueta joining Spurs in the summer.

Jacobs said: “Paqueta. Yes. More business with West Ham. It’s like buses, isn’t it? You don’t do barely any deals since Scott Parker and then Kudus arrives and Paqueta is on the radar as well.

“So I’d keep an eye on that one in the summer and obviously if West Ham go down they’re not going to keep hold of Lucas Paqueta.“

The thing with the Brazilian is that he is simply too much of a ‘luxury’ player for the Hammers right now.

When you’re deep in the mire and battling against relegation, Paqueta is simply not suited to what is required and it would be no surprise if he is moved on to balance the books.

However, Hammers fans would undoubtedly not be happy to see another one of their big-name players joining Spurs again.

Time for West Ham to say goodbye to Paqueta?

Paqueta has done some wonderful things for the Hammers since joining the club in a £51 million deal from Lyon in August 2022.

His through-ball to Jarrod Bowen in the Europa Conference League final will always be remembered fondly by the West Ham fans.

However, it’s fair to say that those moments have been few and far between.

The West Ham fans will probably remember Paqueta more for his mistakes than his goals and assists over the past two years.

It’s highly likely that Lucas Paqueta will leave West Ham in the summer transfer window.

However, it would still be a big surprise to see the former Lyon man join Tottenham.

West Ham United could face serious disappointment in the January transfer window, with Tottenham Hotspur ready to flex their muscles.

The current January transfer window is a vital one for both West Ham and Tottenham.

Nuno Espirito Santo has already been a very busy man with moves to bring Pablo Felipe and Valentin Castellanos to West Ham now complete.

However, the Hammers boss still has a lot of work to do.

How do you PREDICT Pablo will get on at West Ham?

Is he the man to break the striker curse?

West Ham have kept just one clean sheet in their last 22 games and that is quite clearly nowhere near good enough.

With that in mind, getting the signing of a top-class centre-back over the line before the January window closes will be pivotal to the Hammers’ hopes of survival.

However, a hugely concerning update has now emerged regarding one of West Ham’s top priority January transfer targets.

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Tottenham could now hijack West Ham’s move for Charlie Cresswell

Charlie Cresswell left Leeds to join Toulouse for a £3.8 million fee in the summer of 2024 and he has been a huge hit out in France.

West Ham have been heavily linked with a swoop for Cresswell, as Nuno’s January business begins to heat up.

However, there could be trouble ahead for the Hammers.

When speaking on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel, football journalist Ben Jacobs shared how Tottenham could be set to pounce for Cresswell this month.

“I’m told Charlie Cresswell, the ex-Leeds player who’s also on West Ham United’s radar, is a name that Tottenham are looking at and might be available in January.

“So if Spurs can find a young and versatile defender, then perhaps that paves the way for Dragusin to leave.“

This is an extremely interesting update and West Ham fans should be taking note of what Jacobs said.

He was, after all, the man who first broke the news of the Lucas Paqueta to West Ham deal back in 2022.

So he clearly has some very good sources within the game.

West Ham missing out on Charlie Cresswell to Tottenham would be gutting

Back in 2021, Cresswell was labelled as ‘unbelievable’ and it’s fair to say that he has improved even further still since then.

In 17 Ligue 1 appearances for Toulouse this season, Cresswell has averaged one tackle, one interception, 6.5 clearances and 1.2 blocks per game.

He’s very good with his feet as well and has an average pass completion rate of 85.8% from 45.7 passes per match on average (Who Scored).

Cresswell is commanding in the air and along the ground.

He plays with a real sense of coolness and composure that seem to defy his age.

Cresswell would be a major upgrade on Max Kilman at West Ham, but Tottenham’s apparent interest in signing him is undoubtedly a real cause for concern.

It remains to be seen whether or not Nuno is able to win the race for the former Leeds star. If Cresswell ends up in north London rather than the East-End, it would be a bitter pill to swallow for Hammers fans.

West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta is attracting attention from Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window it seems.

Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon in August 2022 for a club-record £51 million fee and now Tottenham are sniffing around the 28-year-old for around half the price.

Both the Hammers and Spurs are expected to be busy in the January transfer window, with ins and outs reportedly highly likely at both clubs.

Interestingly, Tottenham were ready to bid for West Ham ace Paqueta back in 2024, but due to his trial for potential betting breaches being dragged out, nothing came to fruition in the end.

Is Nuno right to defend Lucas Paqueta? Or has the time come for West Ham to cut their losses?

“I’ve spoken to Lucas, and he has spoken to all of his teammates. First of all, he apologised. He’s aware of his mistake, but first and foremost, we – as a club – protect our own, and we solve things among ourselves.

“He is suffering, he is disappointed and he’s sad, but he realised he made a mistake.

“Sometimes people don’t realise the problems that football players endure, but I think Lucas is going to overcome this situation” – Nuno on Lucas Paqueta red card

Paqueta was under investigation by the FA and FIFA regarding irregular betting patterns for almost two years before he was finally cleared in 2025.

And during that time, it’s fair to say that he was nothing more than a liability for the Hammers.

His petulance during West Ham’s defeat to Liverpool at the end of November was symbolic of his time at the club over the past two years.

MORE WEST HAM STORIES

However, all of that could be set to end soon, after a stunning claim was made about a potential move for the Brazilian this winter.

Stunning Lucas Paqueta to Tottenham claim made

Paqueta’s days at the London Stadium could well be numbered it seems.

Tottenham insider ‘The Boy Hotspur’ has claimed that Spurs are keen to bring Paqueta to north London in January.

It is also suggested that the Hammers could be tempted to cut ties with the former Lyon man for around £25 million.

While it’s fine to debate the veracity of the source, it’s certainly fair to argue that West Ham selling Paqueta in January would at least be a possibility.

It also wouldn’t surprise anyone if the West Ham owners were already preparing for life in the Championship, and the financial strain that brings.

However, selling Paqueta wouldn’t be a sign of surrender. In fact, it would be the exact opposite.

If Nuno Espirito Santo is to keep this West Ham team up and avoid the drop, he cannot continue to allow Paqueta to prance around like he’s playing Joga Bontino on Copacabana Beach.

West Ham need to take more of a pragmatic approach right now, with Mateus Fernandes far better suited than Paqueta to what is required.

The former Southampton man has energy and dynamism in abundance, and it’s players like him who will keep the Hammers in the Premier League, not Paqueta.

West Ham’s next move regarding Lucas Paqueta should be obvious

Sure, there is a huge rivalry between the two clubs.

However, West Ham sold Mohammed Kudus to Spurs in the summer anyway, so it’s not like the board are opposed to doing business with the north London side.

It’s time to let Paqueta leave the London Stadium.

What is YOUR favourite Lucas Paqueta moment, and why?

The majority of West Ham fans have grown tired of the Brazilian now, with some of his antics starting to cost his team dearly.

Everyone at West Ham is still thankful to the Brazilian for his through-ball to Jarrod Bowen in the Europa Conference League final in 2023.

However, that goodwill is waning quickly.

He just doesn’t influence games in the manner he should, and his carefree nature in possession is the last thing the Hammers need in the middle of the park right now.

Selling Lucas Paqueta to Tottenham should be a no-brainer for West Ham, especially if Spurs offer around £25 million like the report claims.

Just because West Ham United managed to eke £54.5 million out of bitter Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur last summer, that did not mean Thomas Frank felt his big-money acquisition was the finished article.

On the contrary, the former Brentford boss appeared very much attuned to the criticism which came Mohammed Kudus’ way during a difficult final season at the London Stadium.

Almost as soon as the former Ajax winger arrived in his new North London home – the Hammers forced Daniel Levy to pay up and eventually meet their £54.5 million asking price – Thomas Frank wasted little time warning Kudus that a repeat of his 2024/25 form with West Ham United would not be accepted.

Three months on, while Kudus has still been one of the few bright sparks in a very underwhelming start to the Frank era, demands for greater returns have so far gone unanswered.

What are the chances that anyone goes for a BIGGER fee than Declan Rice? 💸

And how much would you demand for Jarrod Bowen?

Mohammed Kudus needs to improve his stats after leaving West Ham United for Tottenham

Flash forward 12 months, and the 25-year-old again heads into the seventeenth game of the campaign with a pair of goals to his name.

So, while he has doubled his tally of assists from three to six in the same timeframe, it is fair to say Frank is yet to see Kudus evolve into the sort of reliable goalscorer he had hoped for.

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“Of course, I followed him from a distance. [Kudus] impressed me the first season at West Ham and a little less last season,” Frank said in September.

“Looking from distance, they maybe didn’t have their best season for various reasons. I don’t want to go into detail, it’s very difficult to judge from the outside, [but] that maybe doesn’t help. From a player perspective, I can only really speak about the players I am coaching right now.

“Definitely, all the front three or four players need to provide goals and score goals. Wingers and strikers need to have quite a significant number of goals, or as many as possible. So of course that is a target for Mo as well.

“I know he’s very eager to get better numbers on the board.”

Kudus average has actually dropped since West Ham exit

Despite a series of sparkling displays on the right-hand side, Kudus often appears to be the only Spurs player capable of creating something out of nothing, he is averaging a goal every 7.3 matches under Frank.

At West Ham, he averaged a goal every 4.2 games. This season’s average is actually marginally worse than his disappointing final season in claret and blue.

So while both Frank and Kudus were on the same page – fully aware that improvements were needed in the final third if he was to justify that hefty price-tag – actually putting those ambitions into practice is proving easier said than done.

There are, of course, a few reasons why Kudus’ positive start to life at Spurs is yet to be reflected in the statistics. While he often played in a central spot for West Ham, he has spent most of his time under Frank nailed to the right-hand touchline.

His role appears to revolve around whipping crosses into the penalty area from wide positions. Perhaps this explains why his personal goal tally has dropped but his number of assists has risen.

Kudus struggled with the criticism before joining Spurs

In the meantime, if Kudus struggled with the criticism he received at West Ham, you can bet your bottom dollar that the questions will only get louder if he continued to average a goal every 7.3 games as a Tottenham player.

“Being talked about almost every day on the TV, it’s hard to deal with,” Kudus told Sports Illustrated a few months ago.

“From people who don’t even know you, literally, they just watch you for maybe 90 minutes and then there’s a judgement on sometimes who you are or what you are and stuff like that, which I personally I don’t think is fair.

“I think the best people can really talk about you are the people that spend the most time with you almost every single day, you know.

“But, that’s part of the work. And we as athletes, of course, we have to deal with that. That’s why I say don’t be famous or something like that, but you can still use it to your best ability and, and have an impact on other people’s lives.”

Premier League links with Troy Parrott, the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup hero, were about as inevitable as West Ham United spending their hard-earned funds on a goal-shy centre-forward.

So should the one-time Tottenham Hotspur starlet become the latest striker to arrive, following in the footsteps of Niclas Fullkrug, Sebastien Haller, Simone Zaza, Albian Ajeti and more, it goes without saying that he will be desperate to break that supposed West Ham United curse.

While Nuno Espirito Santo again insisted that Niclas Fullkrug remains part of the Hammers’ plans, behind the scenes the feeling is that the German is no longer part of the ‘project’ in East London.

And the list of reported replacements is growing by the day.

From the ‘Premier League proven’ such as Ivan Toney and Chris Wood to lesser-known up-and-comers such as Kaio Jorge, Endrick and Franculino Dju.

Of course, not all of the names mentioned in the media are genuine targets. Hammers News heard back in October that Toney is in no rush to leave Saudi Arabia, although that stance may soften with a World Cup spot hanging in the balance.

Speaking of the World Cup, AZ Alkmaar sensation Troy Parrott ensured that the Republic of Ireland will have a part to play in the play-offs come the spring.

But when it comes to a Premier League return for a man who made only two appearances in the competition for Spurs under Jose Mourinho, reporter Ben Jacobs feels that West Ham are in the queue, although not at the front.

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Ben Jacobs explains why Troy Parrott to West Ham United seems unlikely

Speaking on the Give Me Sport YouTube channel, Jacobs claims that West Ham have ‘discussed’ the idea of signing the Tottenham academy graduate.

But with AZ Alkmaar raising his price-tag to around £25 million and Fulham ‘the more likely’ destination, it would be a surprise if Parrott is wearing claret and blue come February.

“Troy Parrott, who was Ireland’s hat-trick hero, as you can imagine, he’s starting to become in demand,” Jacobs says of a Dublin-born poacher who has scored 33 goals in 61 appearances for his Eredivisie employers.

“He needed to leave Tottenham to make a breakthrough. He’s done that now, of course.

“There is Premier League interest. I’m told AZ are relaxed about the situation for January and, from Parrott’s point of view, he’s focused on trying to play regularly and getting Ireland to the World Cup.

“Teams are discussing him. Leeds, a very interesting team to watch. In the end they went for Dominic Calvert-Lewin [last summer], but sources have told me that Leeds considered making a bid for Parrott for about 15 million euros.

“Now, his price is double that. Nobody will get Parrott for 15 million euros. Then Fulham and West Ham are two others that have discussed Troy Parrott. I think Fulham may be the more likely of the two to make a move.”

Which position do West Ham need to strengthen the most?

Like a certain Harry Kane, Parrott embarked on a series of largely forgettable loan spells in the EFL in his younger days. In 103 matches, he found the net a pretty miserable 16 times for Ipswich Town, Preston North End, Millwall and MK Dons.

As prolific as he is in Dutch football, the Eredivisie is not the most accurate barometer of a striker’s talents. For every Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suarez, there are numerous Afonso Alves’ and Matija Kezmans.

Stuart Pearce a huge fan of England World Cup hopeful Ivan Toney

Speaking of the England captain, former West Ham defender and one-time assistant coach Stuart Pearce sees similarities between Toney and Kane.

His outstanding record in the top-flight with Brentford is the most obvious reason why Toney would be such a brilliant bit of business for West Ham. The Al-Ahli ace possesses that Kane-esque ability to drop deep and open up spaces for others to run in behind.

It is not hard to imagine Toney comfortably outscoring his predecessors in a West Ham shirt, while also bringing the best out of Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta.

“I like Ivan Toney,” Pearce told talkSPORT this week. “You put some legs around Ivan Toney and he’s the closest thing, probably like-for-like type [England have] to Harry Kane in some ways.

“I think he can hold the ball up and allow the likes of [Declan] Rice and [Jude] Bellingham and [Morgan] Rogers to go past him, and allow wide players to get into the wide areas and cross it and get on the end of things in regard to that.”