by Staff Writer
Monday, 14th July 2025
Enjoy our daily round-up of today's stories involving West Ham United not covered elsewhere in KUMB's news section.
Touchdown
West Ham United's first team squad have arrived in Germany for a week's pre-season training ahead of next weekend's opening friendly of the summer against Swiss side Grasshoppers.
Having recommenced training at Rush Green last week, Graham Potter's heavily-thinned squad was boosted to 29 in total following the inclusion of a dozen Academy players, and touched down in Zurich at midday on Saturday afternoon.
The Swiss Super League side will host the Hammers at their GC/Campus training complex next Saturday afternoon; West Ham have been granted what must be a record low allocation of just 150 tickets for the match, all off which have - unsurprisingly perhaps - been sold.
The importance of being earnest
Jarrod Bowen says he is looking forward to spending the next few days in Germany as the Hammers open their preparations for the forthcoming 2025/26 Premier League campaign.
The club's skipper also maintained the trip would be a good chance for the club's Academy players to show their value, with - as mentioned above - 12 youngsters having joined the seniors on the week-long trip.
"We talk about a season being ten months long, but I think these periods of pre-season really shape you for that, strengthen you up and make you ready for the physical demands of a season," he said. "These first few weeks in pre-season are a massive part of that. It's a really important period.
"It’s an opportunity for everyone in the group to be part of it and spend time with one another, because you're with each other every single day for a whole week before we go to the United States. "We finish it with a friendly against Grasshoppers, which will be really good."
JC confiante
Jean Clair Todibo says he is looking forward to a second season in the Premier League having endured a difficult start to his West Ham career.
In a season affected by injury and poor results, the French defender - whose season-long loan was converted into a permanent transfer at the end of last season - failed to live up to his hefty transfer fee as part of an often leaky Hammers defence. However he is determined to put that right when the next season commences next month.
"I feel really good. I worked a lot during the summer to be prepared. It took me some time to adapt to the Premier League and unfortunately I got injured a couple of times, so having this full pre-season is really important for me.
"It took some time to settle in but I'm happy now because today I know where I am and I’m very proud to represent our fans. I am confident we're going to create something big and are ready to try and achieve good things next year."
It's behind you...
West Ham United Women have announced a new 'back of shirt' sponsor for the forthcoming campaign.
The club's "official legal partner" for the past seven seasons, Paul Robinson Solicitors have been confirmed as the club's new shirt sponsor "as part of an enhanced extension to their multi-year partnership".
“Since becoming Legal Partner to West Ham United in 2018 we have enjoyed building on the partnership year on year," Sam Robinson, Managing Partner at Paul Robinson Solicitors said. "We are proud to be extending the relationship by becoming a principal partner of West Ham United women’s team. We are excited to continue the successful collaboration."
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