West Ham United head coach Graham Potter was hoping to spearhead his side towards the European qualification spots as preparations were made for his first full season in charge at the London Stadium, but he has already been forced to gear himself up for a potential relegation dogfight after serious mistakes were made in the summer transfer window.
The Hammers recruited El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters, Callum Wilson, Mads Hermansen, Igor Julio, Soungoutou Magassa and Mateus Fernandes before last week's deadline, with the latter being the most expensive acquisition following his £42million switch from Southampton, while Jean-Clair Todibo became a permanent member of the squad.
But co-owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady have found themselves under intense pressure, with the official fan advisory board issuing a letter of no confidence and planning protests, and GIVEMESPORT has run the rule over the incomings and outgoings that were sanctioned.
Kudus' Move to Arch-Rivals Among Big Errors
West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus in action
West Ham committed two huge errors during the summer transfer window, with the first being the decision to sell Mohammed Kudus to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur for £55million. That will have done nothing to alleviate tension between the supporters and hierarchy as fans see selling one of their most creative assets to the north Londoners as a cardinal sin.
Although the Ghana international insisted that he 'only wanted Spurs' during the video which confirmed the switch, Potter and the owners should have made it abundantly clear to him that advances from their Premier League counterparts would not be entertained and he would have to embark on a fresh challenge elsewhere.
West Ham knew for a prolonged period that Kudus wanted to leave, with reports suggesting he was keen to head through the exit door after his debut season, so they had plenty of time to find alternative destinations instead of taking the money on offer from a side hated by the fanbase.
The second potentially fatal mistake was the decision not to bring in another striker, whether that be on a permanent basis or by striking a loan deal. Niclas Fullkrug has picked up an injury while on international duty with Germany, leading to there being fears that they are short of adequate cover.
Although Callum Wilson has bundles of Premier League experience and got his name on the scoresheet during the victory over Nottingham Forest last month, West Ham needed to do more than simply bring in a 33-year-old on a heavily incentive-based contract when he has also had his fair share of lay-offs over the course of his career.
Diouf Has Potential to be Bargain of Summer
El Hadji Malick Diouf in action for West Ham United
Although West Ham were guilty of making questionable calls in the transfer market, landing Diouf could prove to be a masterstroke as he has already shown that he has the potential to be among the biggest bargains of the summer following his £19million arrival from Slavia Prague in July.
The Senegal international has made the left-back slot his own and, having provided the cross which led to Wilson opening his Hammers account against Nottingham Forest last time out, it already looks like money well spent despite the east Londoners having the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League.
Potter confirmed that West Ham had been keeping tabs on Diouf for a prolonged period and he has wasted no time demonstrating that he is capable of being a serious force in the final third of the pitch as well as using his pace to stop opponents in their tracks, but it is difficult to give the east Londoners a higher rating than 5/10 after some poor transfer decisions.
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 08/09/2025
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