Callum Wilson’s decision to leave West Ham for Brentford is increasingly looking like a gamble that has not paid off, with Hammers News understanding there is regret on both sides after his summer departure.

When Hammers News exclusively revealed West Ham were signing Callum Wilson in the summer of 2025, there was a significant backlash from supporters. The striker had long been a Hammers bogeyman, scoring more goals against West Ham than any other club during his career and antagonising fans with his celebrations and comments, including his famous ‘touch of magic’ remark during his Bournemouth days.

But Callum Wilson soon won over the supporters who had been against his arrival as he delivered crucial goals and showed his value during West Ham’s fight for Premier League survival.

Many fans, and Wilson himself, felt he deserved more game time under Nuno Espirito Santo. Ultimately, West Ham’s relegation proved decisive, with the striker choosing to leave despite having an offer of a new one-year contract – with an option for a further year – to help lead the Hammers back to the top flight.

Regret on both sides after Wilson’s West Ham exit

Hammers News understands there is now regret inside West Ham and Wilson’s camp that he let his ego rule his heart, even if his motivations were completely understandable.

The club’s current striking options — Pablo, Taty Castellanos and Joel Piroe — have struggled to score consistently in the Championship. Supporters believe Wilson would have thrived in the second tier, given the number of chances West Ham are creating.

There is a strong argument that the experienced forward could already have been approaching double figures had he remained in east London.

Wilson clearly enjoyed his time at West Ham, as he made clear in an emotional social media post following his departure. The offer to stay was there, and sources close to the situation indicate that he was open to continuing with the Hammers despite their relegation.

But his decision to leave was made easier by the lack of minutes he felt he was receiving under Nuno.

Wilson wanted to remain in the Premier League, and understandably so. With 95 Premier League goals to his name, he had tunnel vision about reaching the coveted 100-goal club and that proved the tipping point in his decision to leave the London Stadium.

Wilson is 35 this season so time was becoming a factor in that decision too. But his move to Brentford has so far done little to help him achieve that ambition.

Wilson has played just 18 minutes in the Premier League for the Bees this season, making four brief substitute appearances and remaining an unused substitute on several occasions. He has featured in the League Cup, scoring twice, but his league involvement remains extremely limited.

Wilson let ego rule his heart as Brentford gamble backfires

There is, of course, a long way to go in the campaign. Injuries, changes in form and opportunities off the bench can alter a player’s fortunes quickly. Yet Wilson already appears well down the pecking order at Brentford.

The former Newcastle striker may have believed staying in the Premier League gave him the best chance of reaching 100 goals. Instead, he is watching much of the action from the sidelines.

There is a sense that Wilson’s ambition to remain in the top flight, while logical, could ultimately backfire.

He had a chance to become a key figure in the Hammers’ promotion campaign, potentially helping them return to the Premier League and giving himself another opportunity to reach his milestone with a club where he felt valued.

Had West Ham gone up with Wilson playing a significant role, it could be argued he may have had a clearer route towards those final five goals.

Instead, both sides find themselves looking at a decision that has not worked out as hoped, so far at least. West Ham are still searching for a clinical striker, while Wilson is struggling for minutes at Brentford.

It remains an if-and-buts scenario, and neither side can know how the alternative would have unfolded. But Hammers News understands the exit after just one season is tinged with regret on both sides.

West Ham supporters who initially doubted Wilson are now wishing he had stayed. And the striker himself could yet come to wonder whether chasing Premier League football elsewhere was worth leaving a club where he had begun to win hearts.