The West Ham team is in for the season finale at Ipswich as Graham Potter makes ? changes for what will be a big farewell to at least eight players.
West Ham fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the curtain closes on a dismal campaign.
A terrible second half of last season meant the Hammers dropped out of Europe for the first time in three seasons.
In addition to no European adventures this term, West Ham went out of both domestic cup competitions in the third round.
Kudus dropped and Cresswell cruelly snubbed by Potter
A win over Bournemouth in the League Cup proved pointless as West Ham were hammered 5-1 at Liverpool in the next round.
Graham Potter had only been in the job 48 hours when the Irons exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle at Villa.
There have been only 14 wins for West Ham in 56 Premier League matches dating back to January 2024.
Only four of those have come on Graham Potter’s watch since he replaced Julen Lopetegui nearly five months ago.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
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So West Ham fans can be forgiven for being glad to see the back of this season to forget.
Fortunately, thanks to how bad final day opponents Ipswich and the other relegated sides have been, it was not as disastrous a campaign as it could well have been.
Ahead of facing Ipswich at Portman Road, Potter ruled out throwing in West Ham’s kids or experimenting with the team with a view to next season.
Probably because – as he has now stated several times – he plans to make big changes to this West Ham team and squad in the summer transfer window.
For the matter in hand, though, Potter has made four changes for what will be a big farewell to at least eight players vs Ipswich.
Four changes as West Ham team confirmed for Ipswich
West Ham are at their limit in terms of PSR.
As a result the Hammers plan to raise around £100m in player sales this summer.
Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski and Danny Ings are all leaving.
A decision is due on Michail Antonio’s contract soon too.
Although it is expected he will remain on a short-term, lower salary deal with a view to proving his fitness to have it extended.
Loan duo Carlos Soler and Evan Ferguson won’t be retained, making it six confirmed departures.
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Big farewell to at least West Ham stars at Ipswich
Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta – if he beats spot-fixing charges – will also be sold to the highest bidder to raise money.
That is at least eight farewells, possibly nine depending on the Antonio situation.
But a number of players including Guido Rodriguez, Edson Alvarez, Emerson Palmieri, Konstantinos Mavropanos, James Ward-Prowse, Alphonse Areola and even Tomas Soucek could be sold if the money is right too.
Kudus has been dropped and Cresswell cruelly snubbed as the West Ham team is confirmed for Ipswich.
The good news is Fabianski starts his last ever West Ham game in place of Areola.
It comes after Fabianski slammed Potter for leaving him on the bench for his home farewell last week.
There was no place for Soler or Ferguson in the squad.
Confirmed West Ham starting XI to face Ipswich:
Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Bowen, Fullkrug.
Fabianski comes in for Areola in change number one.
Error-prone Mavropanos comes in for Cresswell as Potter cruelly drops the defender for his last game at his old club after 11 years of service.
It comes after Cresswell was lost among a sea of changes when he was subbed in his final game at the London Stadium last weekend.
Kudus is on the bench alongside Paqueta as Fullkrug comes in for the Ghanaian.
Alvarez replaces Rodriguez in midfield.
Potter once again persists with Ward-Prowse despite his limitations becoming a source of serious frustration for fans.