West Ham Target Coventry Duo as Striker Search Continues

West Ham Expand Striker Search with Two Championship Star's Linked

Though still two weeks from the start of the January transfer window, West Ham are making their presence known in the social media rumour circles well in advance.

Already linked with a host of strikers, including Serie A duo Andrea Pinamonti and Santiago Gimenez, as well as Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus, as they look to replace the soon-to-be outgoing Niclas Fullkrug, the Hammers are not resting on their laurels, and the Irons scouting department is certainly doing their due diligence.

West Ham has a strong interest in signing Coventry City forward Hadji Wright, with the 27-year-old fitting the physical profile Nuno wants in January.

His teammate Ellis Simms has also been watched, but Wright is viewed as the stronger fit.

[@ExWHUEmployee] #WHUFC #COYI pic.twitter.com/To4q2xmi3A

— West Ham News & Views (@WestHamViews_) December 16, 2025

They want to ensure they get a player who is right for the club, one who fits Nuno Espirito Santo’s system, and their search has taken them from the shores of Italy to the midlands, with in-form Coventry strikers Ellis Simms and Haji Wright the latest to be marked for a move to East London.

Shifting Strategy

The last few days have not been pretty from a West Ham point of view - they were rejected by Union Saint-Gilloise hotshot Promise David, who preferred Champions League football over a relegation scrap, and AC Milan registered their interest in Füllkrug, showing that despite his shortcomings while at the club, big sides still see him as a desirable target.

This pair of disappointments appears to have forced a shift in their strategy - no longer actively targeting top-flight players, the Hammers are now taking a closer look at those overperforming in divisions below, and these constraints led them to Coventry duo Simms and Wright.

It is easy to see why they are being targeted – part of what could become one of the most dominant Championship sides of all time, Wright and Simms have 15 goals between them, making what is described as the world’s toughest league look like child’s play.

OH MY WORD. Ellis Simms that is UNREAL 😱

Big game and he delivers that. pic.twitter.com/JgnUUMUlKJ

— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) November 25, 2025

Despite failing to score in his last three, Simms, formerly of Everton, has been particularly impressive of late, hitting a purple patch that saw him net five times in three games to force home Coventry’s significant advantage at the top of the table - despite dropping points in two of their last three games, the Sky Blues still maintain a five-point lead at the top.

Wright, who recently returned from a calf injury, has been equally important to Coventry’s promotion push - he netted eight goals in the first nine games of the season, and despite failing to score in any of his last eight games, he remains an integral part of Frank Lampard’s system.

High Risk High Reward

The glaring issue with either of these two players is their lack of Premier League experience. Despite performing every week in the second tier, the top flight is a huge jump to make, and more often than not, players brought in from the Championship sink rather than swim.

Haji Wright has never played in the Premier League, with his top-flight experience limited to Turkey, Denmark, the Netherlands and the occasional game in Germany, while Simms only mustered 12 games for Everton, and a 21-game loan spell at Hearts makes up the remainder of his elite-level playing time.

Signing either or both of these players would be a high-risk strategy - should they fail to deliver on their Championship form, West Ham would become one of the favourites to drop down into the Championship, with a strike force that simply cannot hang at the Premier League level.

🇩🇪🚨 Milan has SECURED Fullkrug

Milan have virtually closed the deal with West Ham and the player. If they want to, they can complete it. What remains to be seen is whether they will first evaluate other names as well.

The reasons behind the move: very low costs, a loan deal,… pic.twitter.com/oNr1ScffKo

— Sleeper AC Milan (@SleeperACMilan) December 16, 2025

However, high risk comes with high reward - if Simms and Wright settle in quickly, their pre-existing chemistry could be the boost West Ham need to turn their fortunes around. With current strikers Callum Wilson and Fullkrug contributing just four of their 18 Premier League goals thus far, some attacking impetus is certainly needed if they are to fend off looming relegation.