West Ham United have been a side previously tipped to do well this campaign after the appointment of Julen Lopetegui and the Spaniard’s big spending spree following his arrival.
Over £100m was splashed during the summer transfer window, with additions such as Jean-Clair Todibo, Guido Rodriguez and Niclas Füllkrug seemingly addressing issues in key areas.
However, eight games into the 2024/25 campaign, it hasn’t been the best of starts to life at London Stadium for the new boss, winning just two Premier League outings so far – losing four and sitting in the bottom half of the table.
Their start to the league season has already seen questions start to be asked about Lopetegui’s long-term future in East London, potentially seeing an early dismissal despite all the promise his arrival brought the fanbase.
It’s not the first time the Hammers have spent big during a summer window and disappointed on the pitch, with the same feat happening during the 2018/19 campaign.
West Ham’s window in the summer of 2018
The summer of 2018 allowed for fresh investment and a fresh start under new boss Manuel Pellegrini after the Hammers finished in 13th place the season prior.
Given his time at Manchester City, there were high expectations for the Chilean to take the club to the next level, with the hierarchy backing him in the transfer market.
Nearly £100m was spent during the aforementioned period, with Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson swapping Italy for England, joining from Serie A outfit Lazio.
His transfer fee of £35m broke the club’s record signing, a signal of intent shown by the hierarchy to take the Irons to the next level under Pellegrini’s leadership.
Just as it has been during the recent window, the defensive department was at the centre of needed improvement, splashing £22m on Issa Diop from French side Toulouse – breaking the club’s record before Anderson’s arrival just days later.
The pair weren’t the only additions made over the course of that summer, with ten signings made in total – looking to push the club towards a top-half finish.
However, despite the huge injection of cash from the owners, many arrivals failed to meet the expectations of the boss and the supporters – looking like a waste of money during their respective periods in the capital.
The man who bled West Ham of £37.5m
Winger Andriy Yarmolenko arrived at the London Stadium with excitement after his record of 12 goal contributions in his final season at Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.
His record tempted Pellegrini’s men into forking out £17.5m for his services, with the hope of transforming his side’s fortunes in attacking areas.
Whilst the Ukrainian forward demonstrated glimpses of his quality during his four years as a West Ham player, he never really produced the goods on a consistent basis – leaving the supporters wanting more.
The now 35-year-old would make 86 appearances, scoring just 13 times – an average of one goal every 6.6 matches – a disappointing return for a winger.
Yarmolenko also pocketed a huge sum during his time featuring for the Hammers, taking home a reported £115k-per-week, as per Capology, during his time at the London Stadium – a staggering amount for a player who never lived up to expectations.
2018/19
10
2
0
2019/20
23
5
1
2020/21
21
3
4
2021/22
32
3
1
Total:
86
13
6
His subsequent weekly incoming is higher than current first-team star Mohammed Kudus, who is said to be on £90k-per-week despite his superb debut year in England, which saw him register more goals than Yarmolenko did during his entire time at the club, having scored 14 times in all competitions in 2023/24.
When coupling his fee with his total earnings in the Premier League, the Ukrainian cost the Irons £37.5m – working out at around £436k every time he made an appearance.
Whilst at the time he was seen as a solid signing and one that could transform their fortunes in attacking areas, Yarmolenko never quite hit the levels many expected him to.
There’s no question that the money could’ve been invested on a younger talent to prevent the rapid decline in performance level and value which saw the attacker leave for absolutely nothing in 2022.
West Ham flop who left for £5m is now outscoring Bowen & Kudus this season
The former West Ham player seems to have found his shooting boots away from the London Stadium.
ByEthan LambOct 25, 2024