In a perfect world, Hammers would have the financial means to attempt to acquire TWO more strikers to take the place of Danny Ings, who is out of form, and the ageing Miley Antonio. Given his enormous salary, Ings has to rank among David Moyes’ worst acquisitions since Jordan Hugill!

Mikey Antonio isn’t getting any younger, and even though he might still be a fantastic impact sub, he likely believes he still has one or two seasons left in him at a team where he would start every game—something that is highly unlikely to happen once Lopetegui takes over as manager of the team. Naturally, the club’s decision to bid £85 million for Lucas Paqueta will be the key factor in this back and forth. Although losing a player of his level will be difficult, the money that may be generated if it is used correctly could significantly bolster the team.

There will be a great deal of speculation about who Steidten and Lopetegui will bring in and who they will bring out. While some resignations are inevitable, others could be the focus of a “managerial review.” To the dismay of many supporters, Aaron Cresswell’s injury will necessitate the addition of a new left back. Additionally, unless Steidten proves to be effective, the highly sought-after Johnson will also miss time. Four recruits are already needed since Kurt Zouma is obviously past it and wonderful servant Angelo Ogbonna is unlikely to receive another extension.

The club’s season is on the line with this upcoming transfer window, which looks to be extremely busy. Hopefully, unlike previous seasons, the majority of business can be completed so that the new players have time to work with the manager and his as-yet-unnamed staff, rather than last-minute deals that don’t allow for any integration time. – Ed.