West Ham United have been quiet on the transfer front so far this summer but there is still plenty of time for the owners to splash the cash.
Slaven Bilic has only signed Pablo Zabaleta so far this summer and has publicly stated he wants quality over quantity with “three or four game-changer” transfers.
The Hammers have been linked with a plethora of players from goalkeeper Joe Hart to the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho, Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi.
Fans are growing increasingly impatient with each passing week, but West Ham are no different to the majority of other Premier League teams yet to do much business.
The window is still in its infancy and there is plenty of time yet for owners David Sullivan and David Gold to reinforce Bilic’s squad.
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
West Ham have already missed out on reported targets Jermain Defoe, Henry Onyekuru and Bertrand Traore while a deal to sign Iheanacho is proving complicated with Leicester City now said to be in the box seat.
An element of doom and gloom has started to creep in at the club, particularly after more than 50,000 expectant Hammers fans once again snapped up the club’s season ticket allocation at their new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home.
But there is still plenty of time for the East Londoners to show their hand and bring in four top quality players who would improve the first team.
Here we take a look at five signings – four guaranteed starters – West Ham could make and how the Hammers might line-up if the owners show some ambition this summer.
Joe Hart
Likely to be on loan until the expiration of his contract due to his huge wages, West Ham could bring in the Manchester City outcast and England goalkeeper Joe Hart with an option to buy – a deal format favoured by Sullivan and Gold historically. Hart is better than both Adrian and Darren Randolph and would go straight into the team while the onus would be on Hart to perform to earn a permanent move.
Adama Traore
Bilic wants pace this summer and there is nobody quicker than Middlesbrough’s Adama Traore. The Spaniard has been heavily linked with the Hammers and a number of other Premier League clubs despite being far from the finished product. With Michail Antonio and Traore in the same side West Ham would be a serious threat and while Traore would be the only one of the five signings who is not a guaranteed starter the former Barcelona man could prove a wise investment.
Chris Smalling
Another who has been heavily linked with West Ham after being deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester United. As Bilic has already said publicly, his key focus is on recruiting at least one but preferably two strikers this window. But don’t be surprised to see West Ham move for Smalling if he is still available once they have their strikers in the bag with Jose Fonte showing his age, James Collins turning 34 next season, Angelo Ogbonna being linked with a return to Italy, Winston Reid injury prone and Reece Oxford having been sent to Germany on loan for the season.
Slaven Bilic talks tactics with Mario Mandzukic
Mario Mandzukic
Having played under Bilic for Croatia Juventus star Mario Mandzukic is well aware of his managerial talents. The Irons have been linked with Mandzukic for the past two seasons and he is exactly the kind of top level player the club needs to sign if it is serious about challenging the top six. Mandzukic can play as a target man or do a job out wider as he has done for Juve this season and he certainly knows where the goal is.
Olivier Giroud
Bilic wants strikers who are proven and Arsenal outcast Olivier Giroud ticks that box. A move from North to East London has been mooted for a while but is reportedly dependent on Arsenal signing Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette. Giroud would be a major coup for Bilic and he would be motivated too as he is looking to cement his place in the France squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
Here’s how West Ham could line-up next season:
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