The 33-year-old Wilson reportedly told West Ham that he wished to terminate his contract, which would’ve enabled him to become a free agent.

Nuno Espirito Santo recruited two new centre-forwards in the winter window in the shape of Taty Castellanos and Pablo, and Wilson appeared to view that as him being pushed down the pecking order.

However, the veteran striker now looks set to be incredibly important to West Ham for the rest of the season.

Callum Wilson will be licking his lips after Pablo injury revelation

Coincidence or not, but pretty much ever since the arrivals of the aforementioned Castellanos and Pablo within the first week of the winter window, West Ham’s form has drastically improved.

The Hammers have won four of their last six in all competitions, and have lost just once from their last five Premier League games.

As such, Nuno’s side are now within touching distance of Nottingham Forest in 17th, as the Irons sit three points behind managerless Forest after Sean Dyche’s sacking this week.

But, ahead of their FA Cup trip to Burton on Saturday, Nuno has delivered some crushing injury news to his forward line, and in particular, concerning Pablo.

Quoted from his pre-match press conference by The Athletic’s West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas via X, Nuno has confirmed that Pablo will be ‘out for a while’.

The Hammers boss doesn’t yet know the full extent of the Brazilian’s injury, but it would appear as though his season could be in jeopardy.

As such, Wilson will now move back up to at least the number two striker behind Castellanos, but will be pushing for the starting role.

Wilson can find starting role alongside Castellanos

However, it’s Castellanos that will probably retain his place in the starting XI at the spearhead of Nuno’s attack after Pablo’s injury.

But, that doesn’t mean that Wilson won’t be in the starting lineup either, as Nuno had been largely deploying Pablo behind Castellanos in a 4-4-1-1, and Wilson can play that role too.

That would be a risky play though, as Wilson and Castellanos are now Nuno’s only fit and natural strikers in the first-team squad, with Jarrod Bowen undoubtedly more effective from out wide.

As such, playing them both together at the same time presents a significant risk should one, or heaven forbid both of them were to be sidelined, and so he may wish to revert to keeping just one of them in the team.