Are West Ham United fans set for groundhog day in the summer transfer window?
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers suffered a torrid second season under Slaven Bilic that was in stark contrast to their record-breaking farewell campaign at the Boleyn Ground.
An 11th place finish actually signified something of an achievement given the number of issues Bilic was faced with over the course of the season from injuries to the fallout from the Olympic Stadium move, the Dimitri Payet saga, constant speculation over the Croatian’s future and poor recruitment.
And it was a disastrous season of transfer business which has been cited as the key factor in the Hammers taking a big step backwards.
Owners David Sullivan and David Gold failed to make good on promises made over big money, high quality signings and have pledged to get it right this summer.
Instead the squad was diluted with a glut of poor quality free transfer and loan signings, much to the annoyance of West Ham’s fans.
Bilic has said publicly he intends to make just four “game-changer” signings with Pablo Zabaleta having already arrived to solve the club’s problem right back position.
The focus now is believed to be on securing two strikers and an attacking midfielder while the goalkeeping situation could also be addressed.
West Ham United owners David Gold and David Sullivan
But it looks like it could be groundhog day for West Ham fans again this summer if rumoured transfer activity and targets are anything to go by.
West Ham’s only signing so far is a free transfer while the club has also been linked with a host of other loans and free transfers including John Terry, Joe Hart, John Ruddy, Bertrand Traore and Michy Batshuayi to name but a few.
The East Londoners look to be treading familiar ground with their striker pursuits too.
Much-publicised interest in Kelechi Iheanacho has gone quiet with the player insisting he wants to stay at Manchester City – as reported by the Manchester Evening News – while Belgian side Enup have said they want to sell star striker Onyereku Henry to a ‘more prestigious club’.
Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho is reportedly reluctant to join West Ham
Like last summer – when Alexandre Lacazette, Carlos Bacca and Batshuayi all turned down moves to West Ham before they ended up with Simeone Zaza on loan – Bilic is in danger of running out of options.
The likes of Everton have already been highly active spending over £50 million on two signings and West Ham’s owners must start spending if they are to keep touch with the top eight let alone challenge the Premier League elite as they pledged was their ambition on moving to the Olympic Stadium.
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