West Ham are already mapping out their January transfer window plan and Nuno Espirito Santo has been told exactly what to expect.
The Hammers have made the situation clear to the new boss, and one signing looks almost inevitable.
Given how bad things had got under Graham Potter, the start made by Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham has been hugely encouraging.
The Portuguese arrived on Saturday after telling Hammers chief David Sullivan he wanted to take on the challenge of tough back-to-back away games at Everton and Arsenal.
Potter had been heavily criticised for his team selection, tactics and lack of emotion and passion on the sidelines.
Nuno’s hugely encouraging start at West Ham
Nuno has already won West Ham fans over with his team selection, tactics and passion that’s there for all to see from the off.
The ex Forest boss put some fire back into West Ham bellies in the 1-1 draw at Everton, which could so easily have been a win had Niclas Fullkrug not endured such a poor game.
But will the under fire Hammers hierarchy be putting some money in his pocket for signings in the next window?
Potter’s abysmal record last season meant his position could easily have been reviewed in the summer.
However, sacking him off the back of a season-ending win at Ipswich and ahead of a summer window where an overhaul was promised was never a realistic option.
One of the major drawbacks of appointing a manager mid-season, after the summer window, is they have to work with a squad they have inherited.
This time around, though, West Ham have lucked out in a big way.
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By bringing in Nuno they have a manager who wanted four of their players at Forest in the summer and is on record as being a huge fan of two others.
It is widely known that Nuno was rivalling West Ham to sign El Hadji Malick Diouf, Soungoutou Magassa and Mateus Fernandes.
The 51-year-old also wanted to sign Crysencio Summerville using the money Forest got for Anthony Elanga.
Nuno has talked in the past about how unplayable captain Jarrod Bowen can be and is said to have wanted Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the past too.
Throw in the fact he has worked with Max Kilman before at Wolves and it is a unique situation West Ham have stumbled upon where their new manager has taken over a team so well suited to his tastes.
West Ham tell Nuno January transfer plan
That being said, every manager wants their own players and Nuno will be no different.
Hammers News can reveal West Ham have told Nuno the January transfer plan and one signing looks certain.
The real reason Nuno looked so happy at his West Ham unveiling was revealed at the weekend.
Nuno’s world famous super agent Jorge Mendes is expected to now have a big influence on helping West Ham make signings.
The problem is the Hammers had to sell to buy in the summer as the under-fire board pleaded poverty due to PSR concerns.
West Ham also told fans to expect £100m losses in their next accounts, which will be published in December ahead of the January window opening.
But given West Ham’s Premier League status may be at stake, spending may be the only option to stay on the gravy train.
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Hammers News can reveal via a top external source that the club has already spoken to Nuno about the January window.
Being in so early into the season gives the former Wolves boss a big advantage in that he can assess his squad over the next three months.
One area the team looks undeniably short is up front.
Fullkrug looks completely unfit to be an effective Premier League striker while Callum Wilson turns 34 this season.
Young Callum Marshall continues to impress for the Under 21s but many fans feel a powerful, pacy forward must be a top priority.
“The manager has been told to assess the squad and tell the board what he thinks he needs in January,” a top external source told Hammers News.
Traore signing in West Ham’s sights
That suggests there will be some money to spend for Nuno.
One player who looks nailed on to be in West Ham’s sights is longstanding target Adama Traore.
If it is power and pace West Ham are looking for to suit Nuno’s counter-attacking style, then nobody fits the bill more than Traore.
Nuno desperately wanted to sign Traore in the summer and the refusal to do so by Edu and Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was one of the key reasons behind their falling out.
Traore has been linked with a move to east London in just about every transfer window for the last six or seven years.
While his end product has always been an issue, Traore’s raw power and pace means he has a unique ability to get his team up the pitch.
Traore enjoyed an excellent season with Fulham last term and a move was clearly a possibility in the summer if Nuno was so angry it was blocked by the Forest hierarchy.
Joining West Ham would keep Traore in London, where he is settled. And it would reunite the 29-year-old with the manager who got the best out of him during their time together at Wolves.
And no prizes for guessing who his agent is, a certain Mr Mendes.