Huge transfer boost for Leeds United's relegation rivals with £20m agreement reached and medical planned
One of Leeds United's key Premier League relegation rivals have made early moves in the January transfer window.
Leeds United’s relegation rivals West Ham United are closing in on a £20million deal for an in-form striker as they attempt to climb out of the bottom three.
The Hammers are currently alongside Wolves and Burnley in the Premier League drop zone, four points from Nottingham Forest and safety. Leeds are another place and two more points clear, an advantage they will look to increase at reigning champions Liverpool this evening, having ended 2025 on a five-game unbeaten run.
A brief uptick in form saw West Ham win back-to-back games in early November but they haven’t enjoyed victory in eight matches since, drawing four times including a 2-2 stalemate at home to Brighton on Tuesday. They face Wolves and Forest next up with a growing feeling they need maximum points to avoid falling further adrift.
London Stadium chiefs are expected to spend big this month in a desperate attempt to avoid relegation, with a natural striker one of several January priorities. And it seems they are wasting little time, with reports suggesting a deal has already been agreed and medical scheduled.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reported via X on Wednesday evening a ‘full agreement’ had been reached for Gil Vicente frontman Pablo Felipe, who has 10 goals in 13 Portuguese top-flight appearances this season. West Ham have agreed a deal worth €23million (£ 20.1m), with their target due for medical tests on Thursday.
While Pablo has enjoyed a strong first half of the 2025/26 campaign in Portugal, he remains some way off being a finished product and according to the Guardian, West Ham chiefs accept he will need time to adjust to English football. For Leeds, that may sound a similar prospect to their January 2023 signing of Georginio Rutter.
West Ham expected to have £20m striker available vs Wolves
Plettenberg adds a deal is expected to be finalised before this weekend, with hope Pablo can be involved when West Ham face fellow strugglers Wolves in a massive bottom-of-the-table clash. And more new arrivals could soon follow the 21-year-old, with reports of talks to sign Fulham’s Adama Traore.
Espirito Santo keen to reunite with the winger he coached at Wolves, with both clubs recently holding talks over a potential transfer. Craven Cottage chiefs are believed to want around £7m for the jet-heeled wide man, who like Leeds summer target Harry Wilson is into the final year of his contract.
Leeds aren’t expected to strengthen Daniel Farke’s squad with such urgency, the Whites boss recently suggesting it is unlikely he’ll have new faces to bed in before Derby County in the FA Cup on January 11. The YEP understands recruitment chiefs will explore the loan market for mid-season additions, however, with attacking quality still wanted.
Recent reports suggested Leeds have checked on James McAtee’s situation at Forest, with the attacking midfielder unable to enjoy regular football following his £30m summer move from Manchester City. There have also been recent links to towering Union Berlin centre-back Danilho Doekhi.