West Ham United have now joined the race to sign a "sensational" player in January, who was a major target for Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window.

West Ham eyeing Paqueta replacements despite late twist

Lucas Paqueta's West Ham future was a topic right the way through the transfer window, and Fabrizio Romano suggested the Brazilian was set to complete a late move to Aston Villa.

However, the Brazilian re-affirmed his commitment to the club by kissing the badge in celebration, after bagging the second goal from the penalty spot in the 3-0 rout of Nottingham Forest.

It appears as though the 28-year-old could be getting back to his best, having already scored three goals in all competitions this summer, but the Hammers have their eye on a potential replacement ahead of the January transfer window.

According to a report from Caught Offside, West Ham have now joined the race for Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, who was a major target for Tottenham during the summer window, with the north Londoners activating his £60m release clause.

The move fell through, and Gibbs-White extended his contract with Forest, but a move could still be on the cards this summer, with the likes of Spurs, Newcastle United and Aston Villa also monitoring developments.

The Hammers' interest is thought to be tied to the uncertainty over Paqueta's future, as they are preparing contingency plans in case the Brazil international leaves this winter.

"Sensational" Gibbs-White would be statement signing for West Ham

In all honesty, it seems very unlikely the Hammers will be able to compete for the England international's signature, given that he is currently at a Europa League side, with Champions League clubs also interested in a deal.

However, the 25-year-old would be a real statement signing if the Irons were able to pull it off, having been lauded as "sensational" by the BBC's John Bennett for his performances in the Premier League in the 2024-25 campaign.

The Englishman vastly outperformed Paqueta in terms of attacking contributions, chipping in with 17 goal contributions, compared to just four from the former Lyon man.

However, having been cleared of spot-fixing charges by the FA, the West Ham star is now showing signs he is back to his best, most recently putting in a quality all-round performance to help steer his side to victory over Forest.