10 January 2024 , 11:35
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West Ham are prioritising attacking reinforcements with urgency after Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta suffered injuries in last weekend's underwhelming 1-1 FA Cup draw against Bristol City.
Bowen, who left the field gingerly at full-time accompanied by medical staff, is expected to be sidelined for between two and three weeks after picking up an ankle issue. The England international winger is set to miss the FA Cup replay at Ashton Gate and the Premier League trip to Sheffield United later this month on January 21.
Meanwhile, playmaker Paqueta could miss up to two months of action after suffering a recurrence of a recent calf problem against the Robbins. He was subbed after just 14 minutes.
The Brazilian is due to see a specialist in the coming days, however, there is quiet optimism he could potentially return within six weeks.
Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos has also suffered bruising to his ribs and is due for further assessment this week. West Ham are in the market for a left-winger and have already added Ajax captain Steven Bergwijn and Sunderland winger Jack Clarke to their shortlist.
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Sunderland starlet Clarke, formerly of Tottenham, is a homegrown player and that is an attractive proposition for the Irons as several of their current homegrown players are facing uncertain futures at the club. Premier League clubs must list at least eight homegrown players within their 25-man squads which can also be supplemented by an unlimited number of U21s.
Genoa forward Albert Gudmundsson is another player that has been looked at by the Hammers in recent weeks though they're yet to formalise interest in the 26-year-old Icelandic international. Gudmundsson has 10 goals and three assists in 19 games for Genoa this season but the Italian side will be reluctant to cash-in this month after agreeing the sale of talismanic centre-back Radu Dragusin to Tottenham.
Lucas Paqueta came off early in West Ham's draw against Bristol City with a left leg injuryMohammed Kudus is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana while Michail Antonio is also out for four-to-six weeks after suffering a slip in training which caused damage to his knee.
Both he and Paqueta returned to training last week following recent injuries but the pair have now been crocked - highlighting the need for reinforcements. West Ham must also be mindful of Financial Fair Play regulations as it's believed they're sailing close to the wind. Said Benrahma has been attracting interest from Lyon but he could now be set to stay at the London Stadium until the end of the season due to the lack of numbers in attack.
Wolves had also been weighing up a loan approach for Danny Ings but unless West Ham get several bodies through the door, he too could stay put despite his lack of minutes. Crystal Palace are also showing interest in the ex-Liverpool, Southampton and Aston Villa frontman.