Exclusive: West Ham plot January swoop for ex-Chelsea striker as Moyes gets desperate

West Ham are expected to act cautiously in the January transfer window and will thoroughly explore the possibility of signing ex-Chelsea flop Timo Werner on loan, TEAMtalk can reveal. 

The Hammers have been checking out forwards from across the world and will continue to do so as they look for long-term solutions. Yet sources are indicating they will probably opt for a low-cost option in the January window and then address the situation properly at the end of the season.

It means their interest in Bayer Leverkusen front man Victor Boniface will be put on ice and it may even impact whether they get involved in any battle for Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy, who currently has a £15million release clause.

The Bundesliga is a prime shopping destination though and the availability of Werner at RB Leipzig is an intriguing option.

The Hammers looked at signing him previously and while his reputation in the Premier League from his time at Chelsea is not great, his natural traits could fit well with their style of play.

Werner has a drive to find first-team opportunities after managing just two league starts this season. The 27-year-old is believed to be disappointed with the way things are opening up for him and time is running out to show Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann he can help with their ambitions at Euro 2024.

Werner is behind Lois Openda, Benjamin Sesko and Yussuf Poulsen in the pecking order at Leipzig and indications from Germany suggest his club are open to letting him leave in the winter window.

West Ham will seek to understand the details around that potential exit before they make an offer to help get his career back on track as the need for a new forward intensifies.

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West Ham forced to spend in January 

Injury scares over the international break for Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus underline how vulnerable The Hammers are when it comes to potential firepower.

They were already plotting a new forward signing, but the situation seems even more important now.

Much of the understanding around Werner leaving Leipzig on loan would be in line with understanding the loan fee and percentage of wages they would be expected to pay. Werner currently earns close to £200,000-a-week.

Real Madrid are now being linked with a Werner loan move too at a time when they are reeling from news that Vinicius Junior has suffered an injury during the international break.

The striker has scored two goals in 13 appearances for Leipzig across all competitions this season but has been in the starting lineup for just four of those outings.

In total, Werner has played 370 minutes of first team football across those 13 matches.

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