West Ham United are said to be keeping close tabs on Coventry City forwards Haji Wright and Ellis Simms as the club prepares for a pivotal January transfer window — the first under new manager Nuno Espírito Santo at the London Stadium.
According to ExWHUEmployee, via West Ham Zone, the Hammers are exploring attacking reinforcements amid growing concerns over their Premier League survival. Interestingly, there is a real chance that West Ham and Coventry could end the season swapping divisions.
Since Frank Lampard’s arrival just over a year ago, Coventry have been in outstanding form. Despite suffering late heartbreak against Sunderland in last season’s Championship play-off semi-finals, the Sky Blues have maintained strong momentum and have been one of the standout sides in the league this campaign.
Coventry currently sit top of the Championship, having won 14 of their first 21 matches and losing only twice — both defeats coming away from home against Wrexham and Ipswich Town. After a brief dip, they returned to winning ways at the weekend with a narrow 1–0 victory over Bristol City, sealed by Ephron Mason-Clark’s goal — the club’s 52nd of the season.
In contrast, West Ham find themselves in serious trouble. Sunday’s 3–2 home defeat to Aston Villa leaves them three points below the safety line after 16 matches, having scored just 19 goals all season. With relegation looming, Nuno is eager to bolster his attacking options to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
Coventry’s rise over recent years has been remarkable, both on and off the pitch. Their climb from League Two to promotion contenders has enabled the club — previously under Mark Robins and now Lampard — to attract higher-quality players as they chase a Premier League return for the first time in nearly 25 years.
Following significant transfer income from the sales of Viktor Gyökeres and Gustavo Hamer, Coventry reinvested heavily in their squad. Wright and Simms arrived as major attacking additions, joining from Antalyaspor and Everton respectively during a busy summer window.
Simms signed a long-term deal after leaving Everton, with reported fees ranging between £3.5 million and £8 million. Wright, meanwhile, became Coventry’s record signing, joining for £7.7 million on a four-year contract.
Between them, the pair have scored 74 goals in all competitions for the Sky Blues, though their form has not always been without criticism from supporters. Even so, with Coventry sitting 12 points clear of third-placed Preston North End and 25 games still to play, losing either forward in January would be a significant blow.
Wright has previously been linked with moves away — including interest from Leeds United — and the appeal of Premier League football could be tempting. For Simms, the opportunity to play regularly at the top level is equally attractive. However, with Coventry pushing for promotion and West Ham battling relegation, the possibility of the two clubs heading in opposite directions remains very real.
While Simms is currently enjoying a strong run of goals, Wright has not scored since early October, though his ability is unquestioned when in form. Lampard and Coventry supporters alike will be hoping that transfer speculation does not disrupt the team’s focus as they continue their push for promotio
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