West Ham United had a late transfer effort for Nürnberg attacker Mohamed Ali Zoma stopped by the German side's sporting director. The London club is said to have tabled an offer reaching €20 million for the young forward, but Joti Chatzialexiou rejected the move not long before the window shut.
This outcome means manager Nuno Espírito Santo does not get an extra youthful and direct forward as his team tops the Championship. West Ham are at the summit of the league standings. Their current performances are positive, with several victories and one draw in their most recent outings, which featured a large win against Wrexham.
Zoma's form and reaction
Mohamed Ali Zoma, who represents Burkina Faso, started the season by scoring multiple times in the opening league fixtures, one of which was a three-goal display against Dynamo Dresden. He also found the net in a victory over Bielefeld, but chose not to celebrate that goal in his typical fashion. Reports suggested his displays were not as strong in subsequent games.
Nürnberg manager Miroslav Klose gave the player public support at that time. Klose described the player's reaction as understandable, commended his efforts in practice, and spoke with him ahead of a fixture. Zoma had recorded a tally of goals and assists in the previous season, cementing his role as Nürnberg's primary offensive threat.
The Hammers' attacking profile
Nuno Espírito Santo's tactical approach needs attackers capable of rapidly exploiting space when the ball is recovered. Zoma's speed was considered a useful trait to open up play, providing an alternative to the club's current forwards. The unsuccessful bid results in West Ham not securing a young and dynamic player for their group.
The team's attention is now back on their Championship season, during which they have put together a sequence of consecutive wins. Details on the senior team roster and individual performance data can be found on the relevant pages.
Matters in West Ham's midfield have also drawn attention, with Edson Álvarez responding to serious public accusations. Nürnberg's choice to keep Zoma was viewed as a sound financial move after receiving funds from other deals. West Ham carry on with their aim of securing promotion from their leading spot in the league.
