West Ham United have been busy this summer but mostly in getting rid of players.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers endured a tough second season under Slaven Bilic eventually finishing 11th despite flirting with relegation at various stages throughout their first campaign at the Olympic Stadium.
It was actually seen as something of an achievement by the Croatian boss given a number of difficulties he faced including a glut of injuries, poor recruitment, the Dimitri Payet saga, constant speculation over his job and the fallout from the stadium move.
This summer Bilic has publicly admitted he wants to sign quality over quantity and said he is targeting four “game changer” transfers.
He has recruited just Pablo Zabaleta while rumoured moves for Kelechi Iheanacho, Michy Batshuayi, Onyekuru Henry, Olivier Giroud, Chris Smalling and Joe Hart have thus far failed to materialise.
Instead the club have been busy shedding players.
Highly rated youngster Reece Oxford has been sent on a season-long loan to Bundesliga side Borussia Munchengladbach while flops Alvaro Arbeloa, Gokhan Tore and Havard Nordtveit have followed Simone Zaza out of the exit door as well as goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel and defender Stephen Hendrie.
Speculation continues to link more of last summer’s disappointing crop of signings with moves away including Andre Ayew, Sofiane Feghouli, Robert Snodgrass and Ashley Fletcher.
Havard Nordtveit was sold to Hoffenheim this week
With a concerted effort being made to clear the decks of the deadwood which weighed the Hammers down last season, could arrivals be imminent?
With Nordtveit believed to have been sold for around £5 million it takes West Ham’s income from player sales past the £40 million mark in the last 11 months after the departures of James Tomkins and Dimitri Payet.
That money, plus what would have been made available to Bilic for transfers anyway, the bumper TV cash and increased revenue from the stadium move surely means West Ham have the financial clout to land the four big signings they crave.
Media reports suggest Arsenal would want around £25 million for Giroud and Manchester City the same for Iheanacho while moves for Batshuayi and Hart could initially be on loan.
Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud
Smalling is believed to be heading for the Manchester United exit for around £15m while Onyekuru is valued at £7m by his club ENUP.
Owners David Sullivan and David Gold have been notably quiet this summer, a stark contrast to the very public manner they went about their business last summer.
That has pleased supporters who want to see the club conduct themselves in a more professional way regarding recruitment.
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