West Ham ‘enquire’ about signing of RB Leipzig striker

West Ham United are reportedly interested in a move for RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva to help bolster their attack after a difficult spell of injuries.

Recent weeks have seen the Hammers lose both Nicklas Fulkrug and Jarrod Bowen to injury, leaving new manager Graham Potter with limited options when it comes to his striker position.

Michail Antonio has also been ruled out for the season with a long-term injury which leaves 32-year-old Danny Ings as the only fit and recognised striker at the club.

As a result, the January transfer window could hold the answer for West Ham. According to Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth, West Ham have made some initial enquiries over a move for Portuguese forward Silva.

Having entered the final 18 months of his deal, the 29-year-old is said to be one of several attackers the Hammers are interested in.

Leipzig are interested in a permanent deal – or at least a loan that comes with an obligation – but it is unclear what West Ham’s preference is.

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Is Andre Silva the answer?

The former Eintracht Frankfurt forward was once revered for his goalscoring prowess having amassed 64 goal contributions in three league seasons from 2019-2022, Ppeaking with 28 goals in 32 games in the Bundesliga in the 2020-2021 campaign.

However, since then, it has been a difficult run. While his debut season at Leipzig brought 17 goals in all competitions, he has failed to hit double-figures in the two-and-a-half seasons since. Even a loan move to Real Sociedad failed to re-ignite his goalscoring spark.

Fullkrug, who signed for £27million this summer, has managed less than 500 minutes in total across all competitions due to injuries which saw backup Antonio start 11 times before his car accident.

The German international is also 31 and Silva would be an older addition at 29 which brings West Ham’s transfer planning into question. Silva would seemingly be a potential stop-gap striker to help them through a difficult period.

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West Ham interested in Premier League duo

If a move for Silva does not materialise, there are other options. One name also mentioned by Sheth is Brighton’s Evan Ferguson. The Irish youngster has reportedly been offered out on loan and the 20-year-old would represent a solid temporary option for six months.

His remarkable rise saw him become only one of two players to register 10 or more Premier League goal contributions aged 18 or under after Cesc Fabregas and his early-career form saw him linked with moves across Europe.

However, injuries have derailed his sharp ascent having made just three league starts since March 2024. He has 17 goals in 79 games for Brighton and is desperate for the opportunity to play regular football once again.

Another option is Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi. The 27-year-old Nigerian striker has started just twice in the league this season due to Chris Wood’s brilliant form.

His best run of form came across his time at Union Berlin and his first season at Forest where he netted 20 in all competitions in the 2021-2022 campaign before managing 10 for Forest in the following season.

West Ham quiz – two clubs before