West Ham can’t afford to miss out on £15m bargain with flop proving they made an awful mistake

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The news of Niclas Fullkrug’s injury will have been greeted with a sigh of exasperation at West Ham.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that the striker had suffered a torn muscle in his thigh, which prevented him from joining up with his team-mates on international duty.

The indications are that Fullkrug will now be absent for several weeks, handing Nuno Espirito Santo another unwanted selection headache for a team already painfully lacking in goalscorers.

West Ham signed Callum Wilson on a free during the summer, and the 33-year-old is set to fight it out with youngster Callum Marshall to lead the line while Fullkrug recovers.

But there is a longer-term problem that Nuno simply cannot afford not to address.

West Ham must sign Chris Wood and cut losses on Fullkrug

When West Ham signed Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund, it looked for all the world like they had found the ideal solution to their missing punch up front.

The 32-year-old, after all, arrived hot off the back of a season in which he had scored 15 goals and registered ten assists in 43 appearances for the Bundesliga club.

It quickly transpired, however, that the player who walked through the doors at the London Stadium couldn’t have been further from the free-scoring target man who tore up top-flight football in Germany.

After his meagre return of just three goals and two assists in his 27 games for West Ham, it is time for the club to cut their losses and move on to a player potentially available at a bargain price.

TBR Football previously reported that Nuno is open to a reunion with Chris Wood, having enjoyed a productive working relationship with him during his time together at Nottingham Forest.

Nuno was able to extract the best from the New Zealand international, turning Wood into one of the best strikers in the Premier League.

At 33, Chris Wood is only slightly older than Fullkrug, but he is a known quantity in the top-flight. He joined Forest for £15m back in 2023, and his price tag is unlikely to have drastically increased.

West Ham should move quickly, though. We understand both Everton and Leeds United are also closely monitoring Wood’s situation at the City Ground.

Callum Marshall ready for West Ham’s first team

For now, Nuno must plough on with his current attacking options. Luckily for him, Marshall looks the real deal at the tender age of 20, and he could feasibly lead the line.

Marshall certainly impressed in pre-season, scoring against both Grasshoppers and Ipswich Town.

He also caught the eye with Huddersfield Town in League One last season and was expected to take on a more prominent role under Graham Potter, before he was sacked last month.

It hasn’t quite turned out that way, with Marshall making just three Premier League squads so far and being brought on for a 29-minute cameo against Arsenal.

Nuno will have no choice but to trust in youth as he limps closer to the winter transfer window.