West Ham United have reportedly put forward an offer of about £20 million for a “natural goalscorer,” a player Nuno is said to admire greatly.
Recent reports confirm that Niclas Füllkrug is expected to leave the club this winter after failing to make the desired impact since joining from Borussia Dortmund, scoring only three goals in 28 matches.
Callum Wilson has taken over as the main striker in recent weeks and has performed well, including scoring twice in the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth. However, doubts remain over his long-term role at the club.
With Wilson turning 34 in February and his contract running out at the end of the season, West Ham are wisely looking to bring in a younger forward. The club is pushing hard to secure at least one new striker in the upcoming transfer window.
According to Hammers News, West Ham’s initial £20m bid for Al-Hilal striker Marcos Leonardo has been rejected, with the Saudi club unwilling to let him go.
Despite the setback, West Ham are expected to come back with an improved offer. Nuno is particularly keen on the Brazilian, having previously considered him during his time at Nottingham Forest.
Signing a new striker is Nuno’s top priority for January, and landing the 22-year-old would bring in a player currently in outstanding form.
Marcos Leonardo has been on fire since the summer’s Club World Cup, where he scored four goals in five games, and he has continued to shine in domestic competition as well.
| Marcos Leonardo’s goalscoring record | Appearances | Goals |
| Saudi Pro League | 6 | 6 |
| AFC Champions League | 5 | 3 |
| King’s Cup | 3 | 2 |
The ex-Santos forward also drew strong praise from scout Jacek Kulig thanks to his outstanding attacking stats during his spell in Brazil.
With Füllkrug set to depart, West Ham clearly need to secure a new striker this winter, and Leonardo looks like someone who could spearhead Nuno’s attack for many seasons to come.
West Ham Star ‘Could Be On Way Out’ After Nuno Decision vs Liverpool
Graham Potter’s final major decision as West Ham manager before his dismissal was switching goalkeepers — a move Nuno Espirito Santo appears to agree with.
Despite arriving only in the summer, Mads Hermansen has already fallen dramatically out of favour. The Dane, who cost nearly £20 million after Leicester’s relegation, has been beaten 11 times out of the 27 goals West Ham have conceded this season.
Hermansen featured in just the first four matches before Alphonse Areola reclaimed the No.1 spot. Nuno has stuck with that choice, keeping Hermansen on the bench and continuing with Areola.
Though the French keeper lost four of his first five matches, his performances have improved, and while he is still chasing his first clean sheet, he has played a key role in keeping West Ham afloat in recent weeks.
With Nuno now settling on his preferred starting lineup, Hermansen finds himself in a difficult position. He remains second choice for Denmark behind Kasper Schmeichel and is once again struggling to establish himself as a first-choice keeper at the top level.
Clinton Morrison believes the 25-year-old could be on his way out of east London sooner rather than later.
Speaking on BBC 5 Live during the 2-0 loss against Liverpool on Sunday, Morrison said: “Alphonse Areola has made the jersey his own.
“West Ham brought in Mads Hermansen and paid a lot of money, and now it looks like he could be on the way as he’s not playing any football.
“Areola deserves to be number one, big saves last week to earn them a draw and he’s made two crucial saves already.”
Even though Areola was beaten by Alexander Isak in the second half — a finish he couldn’t really be held responsible for — and later by Cody Gakpo, he was the main reason West Ham managed to keep Liverpool quiet for so long.
He made a brilliant close-range stop to deny Isak at the London Stadium, continuing the strong form he showed the previous weekend.
Against Bournemouth, Areola was extraordinary in securing a draw for his team. Despite conceding twice after West Ham had gone 2–0 up, he still posted an incredible +2.1 post-shot expected goals differential — essentially saving more than two goals above what the underlying numbers suggested. He finished that match with eight saves.
When you compare Areola’s form to Hermansen’s, it becomes obvious why both Nuno and Potter have opted for the Frenchman.
Hermansen recorded a -1.7 PSxG in only four matches, and although he posted better numbers for Leicester last season, his struggles with set-piece situations didn’t help. In the 5–1 loss to Chelsea, he was caught out on two corners as West Ham conceded three goals from dead-ball scenarios.
Areola, meanwhile, is taller and outperforms Hermansen in almost every metric: higher save percentage, better passing accuracy, more crosses claimed, and fewer goals conceded per 90 minutes.
All things considered, it’s no shock that Areola is the preferred option and that questions continue to surround Hermansen’s short- and long-term future at the club.
Despite one misjudged moment when he chased the ball out of his goal for Liverpool’s second, Areola is almost certain to keep his place moving forward.
West Ham now face a tough run, starting with a trip to Manchester United on Thursday, followed by visits to Brighton and a home clash with Aston Villa — and then a meeting with Manchester City before Christmas.
