“Nuno ready to drop Fullkrug & Wilson for West Ham’s 20-year-old “goalscorer”

West Ham United may still be sitting in the Premier League relegation zone, but there are finally signs of progress at the London Stadium.

With Graham Potter’s departure now behind them, new boss Nuno Espírito Santo has already begun to steady the ship and improve performances.

Recent results reflect that gradual upturn. The Hammers showed resilience by coming from behind to draw away at Everton, and although they failed to seriously trouble Arsenal, they were at least competitive and avoided a heavy defeat.

However, problems remain — particularly up front. The striking duo of Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Wilson have struggled badly, leaving Nuno short of reliable options in attack. That could soon change, though, thanks to the club’s thriving academy.

West Ham’s Füllkrug and Wilson dilemma

Despite having a squad that should be performing better than their league position suggests, West Ham’s frontline continues to let them down.

When Füllkrug arrived from Borussia Dortmund last summer, there was genuine optimism. The Germany international had just come off an impressive campaign in which he scored 15 goals and registered 10 assists in 43 games, even representing his country at the Euros.

Yet, since joining West Ham, he has failed to reproduce that form. In 27 appearances, the 32-year-old has managed only three goals and two assists — all of which came last season. This year, his impact has been minimal.

Wilson, meanwhile, has yet to convince either. Signed on a free transfer, he’s netted just once in six games. Given his poor run at Newcastle last season — one goal in 22 outings — there’s little evidence that a resurgence is coming anytime soon.

In short, it’s clear West Ham need a new striker. While signing one in January seems sensible, Nuno might already have a ready-made solution within the club’s youth ranks.

The academy’s answer: Callum Marshall

Despite the senior team’s recent struggles, West Ham’s academy continues to shine, producing exciting prospects such as Emeka Adiele, Elisha Sowunmi, and Chuk Obi. Among the next in line could be 20-year-old forward Callum Marshall.

Currently starring for the U21s, the Northern Irish striker has made a flying start to the season — scoring four goals and providing an assist in just three matches. That’s an average of 1.33 goal involvements per game, or one every 67.5 minutes.

Crucially, Marshall already has valuable senior experience. He featured for 29 minutes against Arsenal at the weekend and spent last season on loan at Huddersfield Town, where he played 46 times, scored ten goals, and assisted four more. That equates to a goal involvement roughly every 203 minutes — a solid return for a teenager in his first full season of professional football.

His performances earned him Huddersfield’s Player of the Year award, while former Terriers manager Michael Duff hailed him as a “natural goalscorer.” With 12 international caps for Northern Ireland, Marshall has also shown he can handle pressure at a high level.

It may not be a perfect fix, but with Füllkrug and Wilson both misfiring, Nuno could do far worse than giving Marshall a chance to prove himself in the Premier League.