Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on West Ham’s in-form winger Crisencio Somerville, which could spell trouble for Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Hammers have managed to navigate a busy January transfer window, successfully fending off unwanted interest in one of their few bright spots, including the Dutchman.
West Ham remain in a precarious position, miles from safety in 18th place, but Nuno is encouraged by their recent resurgence, with Somerville at the heart of it.
Defensive reinforcements dominated the action on deadline day, with dramatic late-game negotiations culminating in the signing of Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea.
But while West Ham were desperately trying to strengthen their backline, they were simultaneously facing approaches from clubs looking to raid their attacking options, with the exception of Lucas Paqueta, of course.
Somerville has been one of the few true game-changers for the club in recent weeks.
West Ham move ‘closer’ to signing star with ‘progress’ in negotiations before second half of Nuno U-turn
The Hammers were close to sealing the deal in the final week.
The 23-year-old joined West Ham from Leeds in August 2024 for a fee in excess of £25 million, penning a five-year contract with an option for a sixth season.
His first campaign in east London was derailed by a serious hamstring injury sustained in the FA Cup match against Aston Villa back in January 2025.
The setback required surgery and kept Somerville out for more than seven months, with the player only returning as a substitute against Nottingham Forest on 31 August.
The Dutch international has endured a frustrating 25 games without a goal, but has only recently regained his scoring ability.
Somerville has scored in four games in a row, including last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The purple form attracted the attention of clubs looking to attack him during the January period, including rumors of an approach from rivals Tottenham.
Fabrizio Romano shares update on Crisencio Somerville from West Ham
Romano revealed this evening that West Ham had rejected two separate approaches for Somerville in the same month. One was from an unknown Premier League rival and the other from Italy’s Serie A giants.
The player himself was happy to remain at the London Stadium to help West Ham in their fight for survival, and felt he had unfinished business at the club after supporting him through a lengthy injury rehabilitation.
But in a more worrying claim, Romano also admitted that while Somerville will stay for now, things will be completely different in the summer.
Transfer experts predict that he will be a popular player, with several clubs already showing strong interest, and although there is no guarantee that he will stay this season, he is a “player to watch”.
If West Ham are relegated to the Championship, precedent suggests that Somerville will not remain in the second tier.
He previously excelled in the Championship during his time at Leeds, scoring 21 goals and providing nine assists in 49 appearances, earning him the Player of the Year award in 2023-24.
But after finally getting a taste of the Premier League game and establishing himself at the top level, the setback represents an unlikely prospect for the ambitious winger.
Still, West Ham’s hopes of survival may depend on whether Somerville can maintain his recent goalscoring form during training.
Former WHU employee: Player turned down new West Ham contract before leaving on deadline day
He was left in his final hours.
