West Ham’s nightmare season continues to unravel, with the club languishing near the foot of the Premier League table and desperately short on goals.
Much was expected from summer signing Callum Wilson, who arrived from Newcastle United on a free transfer with a proven Premier League record.
Yet despite scoring just once all season, perhaps the biggest concern is that the England international hasn’t played a single minute under new boss Nuno Espírito Santo — even as the Hammers’ attacking woes deepen.
With a natural goalscorer sitting unused on the bench, many fans have been left scratching their heads.
Now, insider source ExWHUEmployee has shed light on the situation.
Why Nuno Isn’t Playing Wilson
Writing via his Patreon, Ex addressed speculation that West Ham are deliberately benching Wilson to avoid triggering a costly appearance fee.
Reports had claimed that Wilson’s “pay-as-you-play” deal — believed to make up around 90 per cent of his earnings — was the reason behind his absence.
However, according to Ex, that’s simply not true.
“West Ham have denied that Callum Wilson is not being picked because he has a very high appearance fee,” he said of the striker, who currently earns a base salary of £50,000 per-week at the London Stadium.
“Many fans have been baffled at the England forward’s inability to get many minutes under the new gaffer and have speculated that it is more for financial reasons that this is happening rather than selection.
“We did our research and asked the question around. The notion was completely denied by the club, and we were told that the manager just doesn’t fancy him.”
If that’s the case, then Nuno’s stance leaves West Ham in a precarious position — short on strikers, low on confidence, and still struggling to find the net.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, it’s now clearer than ever that a new centre-forward must be a top priority if the Hammers are to avoid being dragged even deeper into trouble.
