Especially after the player\u2019s family had held positive talks over a move to east London after a game in which he was involved.<\/p>\n
One look at how West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur have used winning their first major trophies for decades sums up the gulf between the bitter rivals.<\/p>\n
The Hammers have regressed to the brink of being relegation certainties in the couple of years since their Europa Conference League triumph.<\/p>\n
Spurs show West Ham how to use trophy as springboard not trapdoor<\/p>\n
Spurs meanwhile, have instantly used their Europa League success to drastically improve their manager, squad and standing.<\/p>\n
West Ham are stuck in the bottom three a quarter of the way through the new season while Champions League Tottenham Hotspur are in the top three.<\/p>\n
To rub salt in the wound, the Hammers allowed their finances to deteriorate to such a degree they were forced to sell Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham for just \u00a354.5m in the summer.<\/p>\n
Kudus has been one of the most impressive players in the Premier League<\/a> this season while West Ham have been utterly abysmal.<\/p>\n A big problem, identified after just one game at the Hammers helm for ex Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo<\/a>, is the lack of a competent striker.<\/p>\n Niclas Fullkrug is injured yet again but the ageing, immobile German has proved beyond any doubt he\u2019s not up to it in the Premier League anyway.<\/p>\n Nuno doesn\u2019t fancy Callum Wilson and West Ham\u2019s only other recognised forward is unproven young Northern Irishman Callum Marshall.<\/p>\n Nuno has already told West Ham\u2019s board he wants a striker in January.<\/p>\n That will clearly be a necessity if the Irons are to have any chance of Premier League survival.<\/p>\n Now David Sullivan<\/a> could be handed a second chance to sign a Spurs star who left him \u2018gutted\u2019 after his family\u2019s West Ham talks.<\/p>\n Sullivan\u2019s second chance to sign Spurs star who left him \u2018gutted\u2019<\/p>\n When Tottenham signed striker Dominic Solanke<\/a> for \u00a365m last summer, West Ham\u2019s majority owner made a major admission about the deal.<\/p>\n The fee Tottenham spent on Solanke made headlines and raised eyebrows.<\/p>\n Heading into that window, Solanke was one of West Ham\u2019s top targets along with Jhon Duran.<\/p>\n In the end Tim Steidten opted to stretch West Ham\u2019s budget by going for \u00a327m Fullkrug instead. <\/p>\n West Ham had held talks with Solanke\u2019s family<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 who act as his agents \u2013 over a summer move to the\u00a0London Stadium<\/a> after the Hammers played Bournemouth.<\/p>\n The Irons were keen to show Solanke how serious they were about building their new-look team around him.<\/p>\n But Spurs hijacked West Ham\u2019s move for Solanke<\/a>.<\/p>\n And Sullivan said the Hammers simply couldn\u2019t compete with Tottenham for Solanke<\/a> in a brutally honest admission.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were interested,\u201d the senior London Stadium contact told\u00a0Hammers News last year.<\/p>\n \u201cDavid Sullivan\u00a0would have loved Solanke.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just didn\u2019t have \u00a365m to spend on a single player.\u201d<\/p>\n Now the Hammers might be able to get Solanke after all.<\/p>\n BBC Sport<\/a> has repeated rumours that Tottenham boss Thomas Frank<\/a> is not impressed with Solanke and could look to sell the England striker in January.<\/p>\n Could Solanke solve West Ham\u2019s biggest problem after Frank decision?<\/p>\n The 28-year-old is reportedly not part of Frank\u2019s plans and could be moved on after just 18 months in north London.<\/p>\n Given Sullivan\u2019s admiration of the player, this could be a deal which works for all parties.<\/p>\n Especially if Spurs are open to an initial loan with option or obligation to buy should West Ham stay up.<\/p>\n Solanke scored 16 goals in 45 games for Tottenham in his debut season but has played just three games so far this term.<\/p>\n West Ham are in desperate need of a strong, mobile striker leading their line.<\/p>\n Having Solanke with Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen either side would transform the Hammers overnight.<\/p>\n And at 28, Solanke should still have some of his best years ahead of him.<\/p>\n Lines of communication are clearly open between West Ham and Spurs after the Kudus deal.<\/p>\n That in itself may help grease the wheels because Spurs still owe the Hammers \u00a336m for the Ghanaian after agreeing to pay the \u00a354.5m fee in three instalments.<\/p>\n![\"Nuno](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2242717681-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by OLI SCARFF\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Dominic](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2233124858-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Pat Elmont \u2013 UEFA\/UEFA via Getty Images<\/p>\n