It’s safe to say Julen Lopetegui’s start to life as West Ham United manager hasn’t gone as he would have expected, winning just three of his first ten matches in all competitions.
The Spaniard was appointed during the off-season, replacing former boss David Moyes after the club’s hierarchy decided against offering the Scotsman a new deal at the London Stadium.
After the Europa Conference League triumph back in the 2022/23 season, it gave the supporters a taste of continental success, something which they’ve often been starved of for many decades.
However, after such a feat, there’s been a demand by the fans and the hierarchy to constantly be competing at that level, but up to now, Lopetegui has struggled to match the expectations, even leading to questions about his long-term future.
The 58-year-old is already a man under pressure, with various managers already on the Hammers’ shortlist should he find himself out of the job in the coming months.
Such pressure is to be expected, especially when taking into consideration the huge window they endured over the summer, which injected added excitement and quality into the first-team squad.
West Ham’s summer transfer window in 2024
During the recent transfer window, West Ham spent upwards of £100m on a plethora of new additions to give the new boss the best possible chance of being a success during his debut campaign at the helm.
All areas of the squad received significant investment, allowing Lopetegui to create a new era after his appointment and the departure of Moyes just a couple of months prior.
The defensive department saw the arrivals of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo as the hierarchy looked to recruit players who would drastically improve the options at the back.
Whilst there’s no denying the trio’s quality, they’re yet to produce their best football in the Premier League, with the Irons conceding 15 times in eight matches – currently boasting the fourth-worst defensive record in the division.
As for the midfield, Guido Rodriguez and Carlos Soler both brought huge excitement given their experience at the very top level of European football, but like the defensive trio, they’ve been unable to make a huge impact at the London Stadium.
Argentine star Rodriguez was even hooked before half-time in the home defeat against Chelsea, an indication of how disappointing he’s been since swapping Spain for England during the off-season.
Crysencio Summerville was a man in demand during the transfer window, understandably so after registering a total of 31 goal contributions in the Championship for Leeds United last season.
The Hammers forked out £25m for his services, beating a whole host of sides for his signature, but up to now the Dutchman has only started one Premier League game so far – a disappointing return for such a promising talent.
However, one other player has struggled even more than Summerville, looking to be a huge waste of money just a couple of months after his move to East London.
Niclas Füllkrug’s time at West Ham
After registering a total of 15 goals and 11 assists for Borussia Dortmund last season, West Ham decided to make a £27.5m move for German striker Niclas Füllkrug in an attempt to inject more firepower in attacking areas.
Given his recent goalscoring record, it was a move that excited many around the club, but it’s safe to say, a couple of months on, the deal has been a complete disaster with the Bundesliga side robbing Lopetegui’s men dry.
The 31-year-old has yet to start a league outing, managing just three substitute appearances – featuring for a total of just 63 minutes in the Premier League.
Games played
4
Cost per game
£6.8m
Minutes played
137
Cost per minute
£200k
Shots taken
4
Expected Goals (xG)
0.25
Cost per shot
£6.8m
He’s been constantly struggling with an Achilles issue that has seen him miss the last six matches in all competitions, resulting in Fullkrug returning to his homeland to gain further treatment on his ongoing issue.
Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.
The move has led to questions being asked internally about technical director Tim Steidten’s spending this summer, with the 45-year-old influential in a deal for his compatriot.
Given his injury issues and short cameos, Fullkrug is yet to find the back of the net in claret and blue, with the deal being made all the more painful when looking at the form of another one of the club’s targets from the summer.
West Ham's Fullkrug alternatives
The Hammers’ hunt for a striker took them all over Europe, leading to countless names being linked with a big-money transfer to the London Stadium.
Jhon Duran was just one name thrown into the mix, but after long-standing interest, the Colombian stayed at Aston Villa, scoring the winner for Unai Emery’s side against the Irons on the opening day of the new season.
One of the names mentioned was former Atlético Madrid striker Samuel Omorodion, with Spanish journalist Marcos Duran claiming that Lopetegui’s side lodged a £29m + £10m bid for the Spaniard – but it was rejected with other targets considered instead.
Despite being strongly linked with Chelsea over the same period, the 20-year-old joined Porto – a move that would allow the striker to find his goalscoring touch in front of goal – and he now possesses a release clause of a whopping £84m.
The “outrageous” talent, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already registered seven goals in the 2024/25 campaign – demonstrating to Lopetegui and the rest of the Premier League what they could’ve had if they pursued a deal for his services.
One that got away
The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.
Omorodion has also caught the eye for his nation, scoring four goals in just 45 minutes for Spain’s U21 side against Malta in the recent international break – taking his total tally to 11 goals this campaign – the same number as the entire West Ham squad has managed in the Premier League this season and more than Duran’s haul of seven.
Given the lack of impact from Fullkrug and the impressive form of Omorodion, it’s evident that the club made the wrong decision in pursuing a move for the German – putting the recent transfer activity into question.
Many thought the Hammers had won the transfer window after their business in the summer, but their shaky start to the new campaign will undoubtedly cast doubts over the deals conducted in recent months.
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