West Ham United decided to part ways with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski at the end of his contract despite the Pole stepping up when Alphonse Areola disappointed.
The Hammers decided to keep Areola, who registered the second-worst goals prevented (-5.2) in the Premier League this season. They will hope the decision does not come back to bite.
Meanwhile, the Irons need a replacement for Fabianski and will enter the transfer market. Read on as we analyse four shot-stoppers West Ham should look at.
Marcin Bulka (OGC Nice)
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Marcin Bulka has established himself as one of the better goalkeepers in Ligue 1 and would be the perfect replacement for his countryman in East London.
The 6ft6ins shot-stopper possesses supreme reflexes and commands his penalty box well. The 25-year-old can be a staple of the West Ham backline for years.
Bulka’s goal-prevented stat sits at 2.74. Keeping eight clean sheets this season, he has all the attributes of a top shot-stopper.
The only problem is that the Hammers could face competition for his signature.
Noah Atubolu (Freiburg)
West Ham sent scouts to watch Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. The 23-year-old has been terrific this season, keeping 10 clean sheets in 26 Bundesliga games (0.48 goals prevented).
It is only a matter of time before he starts knocking on the door for a place in the German national team. The Hammers are well aware of his quality, having faced him twice in the Europa League.
Atubolu was outstanding in the first leg, making four saves inside the box to help the Germans secure a 1-0 victory. West Ham could certainly use that kind of heroism on their side.
James Trafford (Burnley)
If Newcastle United fail with a swoop for Burnley ace James Trafford, West Ham should be all over the England youth international.
The 22-year-old kept a staggering 29 clean sheets in 45 appearances in the Championship, conceding only 16 goals this season.
He bounced back from a rough spell in the top flight and delivered the goods.
Trafford turned heads with his performances and is reportedly already on the Hammers shortlist. The Irons need to pull out all the stops to acquire his services.
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino)
Torino goalie Vanja Milinkovic-Savic was one of the best shot-stoppers in Serie A this term. He recorded the second-best save percentage (76.3%) in the Italian top flight.
His goals prevented number is the best in Serie A (10.6), and he has the most saves per 90 (3.6).
Manchester United have been looking his way. They are considering activating his €20 million (£17m) release clause.
However, nothing has materialised from the Man Utd interest, and West Ham need to position themselves at the front of the queue for his signature.
(Stats from FotMob, Sofascore, and Transfermarkt)