Forum | General Discussion

As part of the attempted wage structure reformation or Graham Potter’s player execution, whichever you prefer, the club attempted to solve the financial situation one way or another, a task which meant the Hammers had to make a profit during the January transfer window.

As part of the transformation, the Hammers loaned out Nicholas Füllkrug to AC Milan in the January transfer window, for a total of 100% wage coverage, as well as a buy option of £13,500,000… around half of what the Hammers paid a season ago!

Unsurprisingly, despite our best efforts in attempting to reel in the Italians, they’ve taken the bait without a bite. AC Milan are not interested in triggering the buy option for the German after making 13 appearances, most as a substitute, scoring just one goal.

Difficulty continues to arise with the future prospect of Füllkrug seeing as he will be returning to West Ham in the summer, yet officials have confirmed that he has no future at the Hammers and Nuno as well as the club, have no intention to keep the forward, seeming to confirm his summer exit.

Nicholas Füllkrug is currently under contract at West Ham United until 2028, meaning there won’t be any discounts due to contract length, but his time in a West Ham shirt has already warranted a discounted fee.

It is expected that Füllkrug will be open to a move back to Germany despite initially shutting the door back in January, as circumstances have changed. The hopeful Hammers will be aiming to secure anything above the £10 million region, but even that could prove to be difficult.

West Ham United secured an emphatic draw against Manchester City to secure a promise land point! A game in which everyone wrote off, a game that many believed would negate the confidence, but the critics were proved wrong.

Despite the overwhelming amount of comical decisions made tonight, Nuno’s side continued on. Manchester City’s opening goal filled the entire London Stadium with pain and sorrow, a goal of poor quality and certainly one of the lamer attempts on goal we’ve conceded in recent times. Instead of falling by one or two, the Hammers pushed forward - Jarrod Bowen whipped in the corner, which Mavropanos thumped in off the bar, the Trojan Horse to the rescue, an emphatic finish.

From that point onwards? Nothing but heartache, Haaland’s heavy chances going wide and seemingly every decision falling in the way of Pep’s side. Malick Diouf picked up the ball on the line, which blatantly remained on the pitch, yet it was deemed outside. Jarrod Bowen lashed out at the linesman numerous times, criticising his blurry vision, which could’ve proved to be so costly on another day.

Our Herman… what a lifesaver, the Dane now seems confident with every save he makes and every ball he plays, perfecting the times to exit his line, as well as his critical positioning that proved to be so decisive in everything Manchester City threw at us. It was a world-class performance.

Nevertheless, Nuno will be impressed with his three central defenders and how crucial they were. Haaland will get home and believe Disasi will be at his front door with him. Mavropanos’ Trojan performance and Jean-Clair Todibo seemed to always be there to claim the loose balls and hoof them out.

Many might be disappointed with the initial game plan, but against Manchester City, the Hammers wouldn’t have ever beaten them on pure attacking capability, and the game plan that was set out was almost perfect.

The sole point achieved tonight means the Hammers temporarily move out of the relegation zone, seeing as other sides have to play, but even come the end of the week, Nuno’s side find themselves back in there, it will certainly be with grace, knowing the result that was achieved tonight.

West Ham United have been tipped for relegation by numerous fanbases, as well as statistical sites, such as Opta - Whilst Nuno’s side are still in the relegation zone, we’re level on points with Nottingham Forest and three points away from Leeds, but many have suggested that if relegation occurred, players will be able to leave on the cheap…

With slow media and the rumour mill back up and running, it was bound to see a ludicrous relegation clause be implemented into the media, where there’s now a handful of other clubs who believe they’ll be getting their pick of the cherry in the event that the Hammers go down, how wrong they are.

There is indeed a clause for relegation… but this clause only relates to the player’s wages! A lot of Hammers players have a 50% wage reduction if the club do suffer from relegation, but in terms of exit clauses, that simply isn’t true.

West Ham United do not have exit relegation clauses for ANY players at the club.

It is, of course, inevitable that player sales will be made if relegation occurs, especially given West Ham’s financial situation at the moment, but clubs will not be sniffing out a clause to exploit, seeing as it doesn’t exist.

This news won’t come as much of a surprise to Hammers fans as it will to those of Manchester United, given that other sources have suggested that they’d be able to secure the signature of Mateus Fernandes for a price cheaper than what the club initially paid for him in the summer, due to the relegation clause.

It certainly will be a busy summer transfer window with a lot of exits planned to help West Ham’s financial situation, not to mention, business will also be swung in Nuno’s favour who tends to usually enjoy having a big squad with a lot of options, but for this to be achieved, a window of clear-outs and buying players on the cheap will have to be done - this of course all varies on what division West Ham find themselves in next season.

Championship or not, no transfer clause will be triggered.

How much heart-strain would you like, sir? Happy Hammers might’ve slept well, but that would’ve come at the expense of a few years knocked off the heart.

Against all odds and despite West Ham having such a woeful season, Nuno has managed to kickstart this club’s engine, and in 2026, we’re pushing to see where the limits are.

Nuno’s side initially perfectly started the game, a lovely looped in ball by Mateus Fernandes, headed down by the returned Pablo and placed in by Jarrod Bowen gave us an early lead - though it would last minutes.

Brentford found their fortune and made sure to use it. A header by their Captain, Collins, rebounded off the chest of Igor Thiago, which subsequently found its way past Areola, bizarre! Excitement occurred when screams of handball surrounded the stadium, but a VAR inspection concluded it was the chest.

Disappointment? The Hammers didn’t fancy letting it simmer. Adama Traore drew a foul, which concluded in the Hammers getting a penalty, though Andy Madley had his best efforts to avoid doing so - it was only the phone call from Stockley Park which triggered the review. Jarrod Bowen did what he does best and converted the penalty into the bottom left corner, sending Kelleher the wrong way.

Brentford should’ve had another penalty despite having one later in the second half. Mateus Fernandes stamps on the Brentford player, causing him to lose the ball and go down. How on earth was that not given? Brentford’s ‘dismay’ is West Ham’s ‘wheyyy’ as that is what rang round the London Stadium when the VAR check was dismissed.

As mentioned, Brentford did eventually get their penalty they should’ve had, after the Brentford player made a meal of Summerville’s shunt, in fact, it was a three-course one, that’s for certain.

Albeit, Igor Thiago’s brace sent Brentford to extra time, where neither side posed significant threats throughout, bar the ludicrous effort from range that Axel Disasi nearly scored, which certainly would’ve been a contender for goal of the tournament.

To penalties it was, where a certain side hadn’t been doing their homework, will people learn that, since the embarrassment of Lookman at Fulham, it’s not recommended to take Panenka against West Ham! Brighton also attempted this and that too didn’t work. They can be absolutely beautiful if they are pulled off, but if they aren’t, it’s nothing but disappointment.

Overlooking Brentford’s miss, West Ham’s penalties were absolutely sublime, world beaters. They were persistently thumped angelically into the back of the net, served with power and strain on the heart.

Nevertheless, neither Nuno nor we could admirably watch the penalty shootout, but the result has sent us into raptures. The victory means we will face Leeds United in the quarter-finals, while elsewhere, Manchester City face Liverpool!

Many fans would’ve been laughing had you told them they’d be close to the gates of Wembley just a couple of months ago, but that laughing comment has hatched into a possible reality.

West Ham will face Leeds United at home in the FA Cup between the 2nd and 4th of April.