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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

West Ham handed new striker transfer boost as Manchester United decision looms

Down the pecking order: Joshua Zirkzee is struggling to earn regular opportunities at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim - (Manchester United via Getty Images)

West Ham could be offered the chance to bolster their attack by signing Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee in January.

The Dutch forward has struggled to earn regular game time at Old Trafford this season and is yet to start a single match in any competition.

According to multiple reports, it has led to Zirkzee considering his options and he may well be on the move in January.

West Ham are one of the clubs that have been credited with an interest in the 24-year-old, who could be available on loan.

The Hammers have endured a disastrous start to the season and currently sit 19th in the Premier League.

They have scored just six goals in eight top-flight games so far this term, half of which came during a 3-0 win at fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest in August.

West Ham have not been helped by striker Niclas Fullkrug continuing to struggle through injury, with the German currently out with a thigh issue.

Summer signing Callum Wilson and academy graduate Callum Marshall are their only other options up front.

The Hammers are next in action on Friday night, when they travel to face promoted Leeds at Elland Road, and boss Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping to claim his first win in charge since succeeding Graham Potter last month.

“I see them (the players) work every day,” he said after a listless home loss to Brentford on Monday night that saw some fans take part in a boycott as protests against chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady continued.

“We have quality and talent to make five-yard passes, but they were not happening.

“It is up to us to tell the players to play their game, try to ignore [outside noise] and focus on what is happening on the pitch.

“It is us who is going to solve our problems. Us who is in the building, not us who is outside. We must solve our own problems.”

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