---
title: "West Ham interested in last season’s League One top scorer"
canonical: "https://readwestham.com/2026/06/12/west-ham-interested-leyton-orient-dom-ballard/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Matt Bottomley"
section: "West Ham Transfer News"
published: "2026-06-12T09:30:00Z"
modified: "2026-06-12T09:30:00Z"
---

# West Ham interested in last season’s League One top scorer

- **West Ham are preparing for life in the Championship**
- **The Hammers are interested in Leyton Orient’s Dom Ballard**
- **Ballard was the top scorer in League One last season**

West Ham United may have lots of off field problems yet to rectify, but the club are trying to plan for their first season in the Championship for 14 years.

[Nuno Espirito Santo](https://readwestham.com/2026/06/04/west-ham-nuno-espirito-santo-championship-record/) knows the Hammers have to raise £150 million this summer and that players will leave in due course. With this in mind, [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/) are targeting a mixture of young EFL talent that can break into the Premier League, and Championship experience to balance the team.

With a number of players already on the radar of the Irons, a new one has been added to list with some serious pedigree in League One.

[![west ham](https://media.readwestham.com/readwestham/2026/06/GB_Sports_Static_0s_688x85_HTML-1.jpg)](https://affiliate.midnite.com/C.ashx?btag=a_3366b_322c_&affid=924&siteid=3366&adid=322&c=)

## West Ham interested in Dom Ballard

According to the [Daily Mail](https://x.com/MailSport), West Ham are among a number of team’s interested in Leyton Orient’s Dom Ballard.

The 21-year-old striker joined Orient from Southampton last season and went on to be League One’s top scorer, despite his club side having a poor season, staying up right at the death.

**Dom Ballard’s 2025/26 West Ham Statistics**

| **Appearances** | **Goals** | **Assists** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 44 | 23 | 4 |

The young striker scored 23 goals in the league and with Orient’s position, many expect the team to cash in with a number of teams already preparing a move for the player, including [West Ham](https://readwestham.com/2026/06/08/david-sullivan-west-ham-stake-sale-kretinsky/).

Ballard represents the shift in tactic for the Hammers as they look at young EFL talent, rather than ready made top-flight players. The move is hoped to save costs whilst building a team that can not only get promoted, but be ready to learn and grow when the Irons get there.