Signed Callum Wilson (Fwd, 34)

[hamandbee]

From The Athletic this morning :

• Brentford are in talks with Callum Wilson about potentially joining as a free agent. The striker is available after his contract with West Ham expired at the end of last season. Wilson, 34, is among a number of options Brentford are considering as they look to add to their attacking options. An arrival in that part of the pitch would allow Kaye Furo, 19, to leave on loan, which is a priority for Brentford. David Ornstein

 

[hanworthbee]

If reported by David Ornstein it's likely to be true

 

[RoyBee]

Makes very good sense. Good plan.

 

[AB]

He’s a canny and experienced striker who can both still do a job and teach the younger players so I’d be happy enough if he added to the squad depth.

The more interesting part would be to see the level and quality of the loan we can get Furo on to and whether he can establish himself as a regular and effective starter. We’ll know we have a real star in the making if eg he can go to Hull and do this.

 

[ianbee]

He knows where the goal is. Could be a very good for us.

 

[gbems92]

We wanted him back when he was at Coventry didn't we, probably about 8 years too late with this one
In all seriousness it's an okay signing as backup for IT, West ham probably should have given him more minutes, he seemed to make things happen when he came on for them

 

[Sultan]

We wanted him back when he was at Coventry didn't we, probably about 8 years too late with this one
In all seriousness it's an okay signing as backup for IT, West ham probably should have given him more minutes, he seemed to make things happen when he came on for them

It's know as playing the long game.

 

[Invipai]

Backup squad player, but would take the pressure off Thiago. I could see it, but only if it's to allow a pathway for Kuro.

 

[Bangor Bee]

If Igor were injured, would I be happy seeing Callum Wilson step in? To be honest, no. His best days are clearly well behind him.

 

[Chomp]

Help the aged, don’t just put them in a home.

 

[jlove]

Help the aged, don’t just put them in a home.

I’d assume an apartment in Richmond and a family home at Sandbanks is quite appealing.

 

[Invipai]

If you're relying on Callum Wilson every game then you're in trouble. But if he's an option and you can control his minutes? I just don't see that as a bad thing. He still looks good when he plays.

 

[FJBee]

If Igor were injured, would I be happy seeing Callum Wilson step in? To be honest, no. His best days are clearly well behind him.

Agree, but Wilson probably above Furo at this stage. Would be better to get Furo some minutes. Going to be hard to sign someone better than Wilson / Furo to play that back up role.

My guess is the pecking order would be IT > Schade > possibly Dango > Wilson anyway

 

[TorbayBee]

I think it’s great to see the club adjusting its thinking, not every signing must be a development opportunity. We have proven we are brilliant at finding developing and making a profit on players now we have to master the pragmatic approach to squad building. At the moment we have Nunes, Donovan, Furo and a clutch of defenders ‘in development’ , we have Milambo and Fabio in recovery and Josh tentavily back. To me that is a big enough group of potential , what we need is reasonably priced experienced EPL hands to reliably call upon. Add to this one or even 2 ‘improvers’ and we have a squad built for Europe.
It’s an exciting stage of our development.

 

[FunkyZeus]

Free transfer, perhaps a pay as you play, invaluable experience (although Furo might not be around to learn from him) and a strikers instinct when chasing an equaliser or winner with ten mins to go…

 

[Wouldbee]

sorry utterly unconvinced. a waste of a squad place and little value to our cause.

 

[jlove]

I think it’s great to see the club adjusting its thinking, not every signing must be a development opportunity.

If there’s any truth in this, ditto with Jaidon Anthony, it’s opportunism to pick over the bones of relegated clubs and add some depth to the squad with Premier League experience who can be up-and-running from day one, giving time for our younger players from other European leagues to learn and develop without the pressure.

 

[shaun]

We would need to expand the physio department

 

[Gazza Bee]

sorry utterly unconvinced. a waste of a squad place and little value to our cause.

Reckon on the right money this isn't a bad signing - he will not be expecting to play much but gives us a different option up front if required. It seems clear with this and the Flemming link that we don't think Furo is ready yet but we want an alternative option to Igor - no way he should be expected to play as much as last season with the WC taking away a decent chunk of his rest post-season.

 

[jlove]

We would need to expand the physio department

Already sorted:

Post in thread 'Jersey Road new hyperbaric chamber'

16 Jun 2026

Would someone more versed in sports science be kind enough to explain what a hyperbaric chamber does?

• Bee(h)Iver

• 

 

[Wouldbee]

Reckon on the right money this isn't a bad signing - he will not be expecting to play much but gives us a different option up front if required. It seems clear with this and the Flemming link that we don't think Furo is ready yet but we want an alternative option to Igor - no way he should be expected to play as much as last season with the WC taking away a decent chunk of his rest post-season.

I get the 'pro's' logic but I just don't see enough value from him to make it worthwhile. Put it this way. If its 1-1 at home with 10 minutes to go and we bring Wilson on to get a goal do you think that's going to get the G tech humming? I doubt it.

Feels like Peter Beagle Deluxe.

 

[North London Bee]

He’s still got it in front of goal and is a clinical finisher, a good character and will be a solid presence in the squad who will contribute when needed.

Nothing wrong with a few - very few - carefully selected older heads around the squad.

 

[Jay Bee]

I get the 'pro's' logic but I just don't see enough value from him to make it worthwhile. Put it this way. If its 1-1 at home with 10 minutes to go and we bring Wilson on to get a goal do you think that's going to get the G tech humming? I doubt it.

Feels like Peter Beagle Deluxe.

He's there to score goals not to "get the place humming" just from the sight of him.
... If he scores a winner there'll be no worrying about the atmosphere

 

[Gazza Bee]

I get the 'pro's' logic but I just don't see enough value from him to make it worthwhile. Put it this way. If its 1-1 at home with 10 minutes to go and we bring Wilson on to get a goal do you think that's going to get the G tech humming? I doubt it.

Feels like Peter Beagle Deluxe.

Got a few goals off the bench for West Ham last season - put it this way I'd back him above Furo at this stage of their careers to nick a goal..

 

[Jay Bee]

if this does happen interested to see a few volte-faces from last winter's suggestion thread...

Thread 'Callum Wilson (Fwd, Free - soon, 33)'

6 Jan 2026

I've got a tin hat and I'm not afraid to use it.


View: https://x.com/i/status/2008515232965279793

• Les Beeavinu
• Replies: 103
• Forum: Winter 2026 GPGer Suggestions

• 
• 
• 

I was sceptical we wanted him as a stop-gap particularly in mid-season, and it a mystery why West Ham would have got rid of him in the position they were in if he was good enough to be cover. In the end I think he was released, then re-signed for the rest of the season? Maybe he's lowered his expectations and wage demands since then.

 

[N5022N122]

less than 1 in 3 career average 7 in 23 for spam. Say he played half the games and cups we get 6 goals from him that approx same as Schade.

 

[jlove]

He's there to score goals not to "get the place humming" just from the sight of him.
... If he scores a winner there'll be no worrying about the atmosphere

I imagine, if this is true, it is believed he will add more than goals to the squad, in the same way that Henderson adds more than being a passer from midfield.

 

[Jay Bee]

We wanted him back when he was at Coventry didn't we, probably about 8 years too late with this one

That was 12 years ago!!
Bournemouth were in a position to spend more than we were, when we'd only just got promoted to the Championship - that transfer was reported as £3m... we were spending £1-1.5m on the likes of Odubajo and Jota if i recall correctly.

 

[hanworthbee]

If Igor were injured, would I be happy seeing Callum Wilson step in? To be honest, no. His best days are clearly well behind him.

Hes alright as a back up you can't have someone who's cost £50m as a back up and you can't have an untried kid either as the club seem to have agreed aswell

 

[djheavens]

Not for me and well past his best.. hope we do better ..

 

[rebus]

This would be a dreadful signing. Can’t buy into it on any metric. We tried to sign him in 2014!

 

[brooks]

Bournemouth got the best out of him.

 

[upnorthbee]

I’ve thought about it and don’t mind it as much as others. Who’s more likely to score us a goal in the premier league, him or Furo?

My only curiosity of it is if he’s the answer , what’s the question? If it’s the one I asked above then yeh I’d go Wilson

 

[Bumbling fool]

177 minutes per goal for a dire West ham last season. Ollie Watkins and João Pedro got 178.

 

[Guildford Bee]

I don’t hate it but my biggest concern would be over his ability to stay fit

 

[rebus]

177 minutes per goal for a dire West ham last season. Ollie Watkins and João Pedro got 178.

Another year older.

 

[aslan]

There were times last season when we were chasing a point/3 towards the end of the game, balls in the box and good chances - chances Wilson probably would've buried. I know they're different players positionally and have different roles in the build up etc, but I can think of two chances Nelson had that an out and out striker would've scored. If only one of them went in we'd be playing European football.
As pointed out above, it's going to be difficult to get a decent striker in who's happy to be between Thiago and Furo in the pecking order.
All for this, though it's not an exciting or "sexy" signing.

 

[alexinho]

I can't help but feel it is quite the comedown to go from appearing to be on the verge of signing one of the top attacking talents in Europe to now mopping up average players from sides who have just been relegated from the PL. Of the three names we are linked to (the two from Burnley and now Callum Wilson), this is by far and away the least appealing.

In PG we trust (and I do mean that wholeheartedly) but - if true - this does not feel like a transfer that inspires excitement or confidence.

 

[dulwichhamletbee]

Good idea, I think. I actually thought we could have done something similar with Bamford last season when he got hoofed out of Leeds. Think another proper no.9 would definitely help ease the workload of Igor.

 

[hanworthbee]

My only curiosity of it is if he’s the answer , what’s the question? If it’s the one I asked above then yeh I’d go Wilson

Probably my most hated saying ! The question is clearly we want a back up for Igor to come on for the last 15 minutes

 

[AB]

If Igor were injured, would I be happy seeing Callum Wilson step in? To be honest, no. His best days are clearly well behind him.

If Igor had been pocketed for 75 mins we might be happy to have an experienced striker with I think a pretty strong record of late goals to come off the bench to replace him or play alongside.

If Igor were injured and all we had was Furo or other future prospects we didn’t think were quite ready I think we’d wish we had an experienced sub option who was not going to sulk about it and who didn’t cost a fortune while having his agent chatting to Fabrizio to put out feelers.

 

[birdy67]

Good idea, I think. I actually thought we could have done something similar with Bamford last season when he got hoofed out of Leeds. Think another proper no.9 would definitely help ease the workload of Igor.

Got no stats to back it up but in my opinion Bamford has never been and will never be fit to lace Callum Wilson's boots. Shocking player and one of very few players that I would have hated us to have signed.

 

[super J]

I think this makes sense, free transfer so relatively risk free, he won't expect to play every week and will be a good option off the bench when chasing a goal. If Brazil go far in the World Cup too then we won't get Thiago back too early so he may have a disrupted pre-season, so another striker on the books at the start of the season won't do any harm.

Always one of those players when he played against us or came on you'd worry he had it in him to grab a goal out of nothing, he got some big goals for West Ham at the end of last season and was surprised he didn't get more starts than he did.

 

[Gazza Bee]

I can't help but feel it is quite the comedown to go from appearing to be on the verge of signing one of the top attacking talents in Europe to now mopping up average players from sides who have just been relegated from the PL. Of the three names we are linked to (the two from Burnley and now Callum Wilson), this is by far and away the least appealing.

In PG we trust (and I do mean that wholeheartedly) but - if true - this does not feel like a transfer that inspires excitement or confidence.

I might going out on a limb here but I don't think this is our marquee signing - it appears to me that we are trying to improve squad depth and add some experience to the dressing room (I suspect Ethan will be off so we need another leader type). I'd put money on us adding 1 or 2 starters before the window ends.

 

[Jay Bee]

Spoke to West Ham colleague.

They were also sceptical given their track record with previous striker signings but he won them over. Praised his movement in the box when you're hunting that late winner. You do not want him starting games regularly though. He was on some version of "pay as you play" there.

West Ham haven't put him on their released list and do want him to stay, but he's expected to want to stay in the PL. He's got 95 or 96 PL goals so probably hunting 100.

 

[Ghost]

I might going out on a limb here but I don't think this is our marquee signing - it appears to me that we are trying to improve squad depth and add some experience to the dressing room (I suspect Ethan will be off so we need another leader type). I'd put money on us adding 1 or 2 starters before the window ends.

Marquee off Temu.

 

[Manliketrevor]

I can see why we would be interested but seems like a very uninspiring move. I could just about swallow going for one of Anthony and Flemming, but now Calum Wilson added to the mix…

 

[Gaz5416]

Are there any downsides with adding Callum Wilson?
He's played in the EPL for many years and he did well at West Ham. He would have to provide a better than decent back up for us.
Keeping him fit might be the challenge.

 

[gbems92]

We are going to need a few of these types of player if we want to progress. The squad needs padding out abit,not every signing is going to be ground breaking, boner inducing

 

[Ghost]

Are there any downsides with adding Callum Wilson?
He's played in the EPL for many years and he did well at West Ham. He would have to provide a better than decent back up for us.
Keeping him fit might be the challenge.

I would imagine at his age and the contracts he has accrued, his wage demands would be higher than any potential benefit on the pitch.