West Ham are a team reborn under Manuel Pellegrini, with a number of high profile summer signings showing their worth in the early stages of the season.
With some serious cash spent however, the Chilean may have to look at some drastically cheaper deals in the January window, should he want to strengthen his squad further.
The Achilles injury to Andriy Yarmolenko leaves a gaping hole in the attacking arsenal, and Wilshere’s ailments mean an opportunity for an attacking midfielder has opened up too.
Here are five Championship players West Ham could sign in January:
Ollie Watkins - Brentford
Everyone may indeed have their eyes on Watkins’ teammate Neal Maupay (who would also be a great signing in his own right), but I think West Ham would get a lot out of the winger. The 22-year-old is confident in his abilities to beat players off the dribble, and could terrorise Premier League full-backs with his direct approach. A worthy replacement for Yarmolenko.
Bradley Dack - Blackburn Rovers
The attacking midfielder would provide much needed creativity for West Ham. After Manuel Lanzini sustained a serious injury in the summer, the Hammers decided to hang their hat on the famously dependable Jack Wilshere. With J-Wilsh sidelined, Dack could find early playing time at the London Stadium – not that it would be unwarranted. The Blackburn star has been making a pitch to play at the highest level for some time now.
Jake Cooper - Millwall
The attraction here is two-fold – 1) nick one of Millwall’s best players, and 2) set Issa Diop up with a long-term partner in the centre of defence. Cooper is a serious threat at the other end of the pitch in addition to his defending talents, having accumulated two goals and three assists in the young season.
Darragh Lenihan - Blackburn Rovers
Declan Rice is an immensely capable, versatile, defensively-minded Irish international (in a way). Why not sign another one! Lenihan has impressed in both defence and midfield for Blackburn in recent months, and could be a strong depth player for Pellegrini to call upon.
Moritz Leitner - Norwich
Leitner is a creative central midfielder, happy to sit deeper in a formation. With a stinging long-shot, the German would find a move to the Premier League would cater to his needs. Surrounded by a more able supporting cast, Leitner could show the Irons faithful what’s in his locker.