West Ham United signed five players over the summer but you could be forgiven for thinking it was only four.
The Hammers are a club in crisis on and off the pitch.
Defeat in each of their opening three Premier League games has left Slaven Bilic’s side pointless and propping up the table with a minus eight goal difference.
Indeed it may not even be ‘Bilic’s side’ much longer with reports claiming co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold are ready to replace the Croatian with Rafa Benitez or Roberto Mancini.
Things had been looking promising at the beginning of August after the Hammers recruited Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic to strengthen their first team.
But the doomed pursuit of William Carvalho and the fallout since has seen fans turn on the owners as well as Bilic.
Amidst all the doom and gloom, though, could the somewhat low key capture of Sead Haksabanovic from Swedish side Halmstads prove to be the best bit of business of the lot?
The diminutive 18-year-old has a tricky name and the skills to match but is yet to taste any first team action since signing for a paltry £3million.
Football fans are too cute nowadays to rely on a YouTube video showcasing the skills of a player.
But those who do take a look can’t fail to be impressed with the ability the Montenegro international possesses.
For a central midfielder Haksabanovic knows where the goal is. From 46 games for Halmstads, the skilful playmaker has netted 10 goals by the age of 18 and plenty of assists along the way too. They are impressive stats for one so young and perhaps the reason West Ham have decided to take a chance on the youngster.
Manuel Lanzini injured again after a brief comeback cameo in the 3-0 defeat to Newcastle last time out and Marko Arnautovic suspended for the club’s important first home game of the season against Huddersfield.
So with his job on the line could Bilic roll the dice on Haksabanovic in the hope his creative spark can provide the much needed enthusiasm, skill and playmaking ability missing from West Ham’s play?
Who knows he could be just what the side needs to feed isolated striker Hernandez and turn the East Londoners’ season around.
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