Tim Steidten has spent the last few months glued to his mobile phone. West Ham’s technical director and the man responsible for recruitment had told fans the club would have a ‘busy summer’ – and the transfer chief has lived up to that promise.The club’s expenditure has surpassed £120million, with the likes of Max Kilman, Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville having all completed moves to the London Stadium. At the weekend, Jean-Clair Todibo became their seventh summer signing, sealing a season-long loan move from Nice. West Ham have an option to buy the former Barcelona defender for £35m. Aaron Wan-Bissaka became the latest addition on Tuesday, completing a £15m move from Manchester United.
That they have been able to recruit Wolves’ club captain, a striker who was part of the Borussia Dortmund side that reached last season’s Champions League final, the Championship player of the year, and a player who was previously wanted by Manchester United, despite not having European football, shows West Ham mean business.
It is likely that there will be outgoings before the end of the window. Youngster George Earthy is set to complete a season-long move to Bristol City, where he will reunite with former Hammers youth coach Liam Manning. Club captain Kurt Zouma, who lost his place towards the end of last season, has been deemed surplus to requirements and is in the process of sealing a move to Dubai.
There are a number of candidates for the captain’s armband following Zouma’s departure, but Mail Sport understands Bowen is the player firmly in the frame to take on that role. While the forward captained the side in last weekend’s pre-season friendly with Celta Vigo, James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez have also been viewed as possible options.
High expenditure brings high expectations and West Ham’s goal is to get back into Europe as quickly as possible. Supporters also want Loptegeui to play a more attractive brand of football than what they became accustomed to under Moyes’ management.
After 3-1 defeats against Wolves and Crystal Palace in Florida, the Spaniard made it clear his squad needed to be strengthened. Since then they have added firepower in Fullkrug and Summerville and experience in Rodriguez. With the players the Spaniard now has at his disposal, there is every reason to believe he has the tools to mount a serious European challenge this season.
