{"id":1090283,"date":"2019-05-24T22:00:49","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T21:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1090283"},"modified":"2019-05-23T20:12:22","modified_gmt":"2019-05-23T19:12:22","slug":"transfer-moves-west-ham-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/transfer-moves-west-ham-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Transfer moves to expect from West Ham this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not since Upton Park have West Ham United finished in the top half of the Premier League table, but after three years the Hammers have returned to English football’s upper reaches.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under Manuel Pellegrini’s experienced watch, the east London club managed to banish a number of demons from the tumultuous 2017\/18 season and placed a considerable 10th – all while playing some entertaining football along the way.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7266091-the-season-defining-story-from-each-of-europe-s-top-five-leagues<\/p>\n

It has not been all sunshine and rainbows for Pellegrini, however, with the Chilean at times struggling for consistency, and of course, having to cope with West Ham’s annual injury crisis.<\/p>\n

There have been signs of vast improvement from the days of David Moyes and latter stages of Slaven Bilic’s tenure, but of course, an unprecedented level of spending last summer certainly helped.<\/p>\n

Naturally, there is now scepticism from some supporters that the \u00a390m spent last summer will not be replicated this time around, but the club’s hierarchy have suggested there is a “great anticipation and excitement” for 2019\/20 – well, for West Ham fans, that will come in the form of a sizeable transfer kitty.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, we\u2019ve had a look at five different sources to suggest some of the signings the club are expected to make. But who are the sources, and what did they recommend? Read on to find out!<\/p>\n

1. What the manager wants<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Unlike some of the top flight’s other high-profile managers, Pellegrini has been rather tight-lipped when it comes to potential ins and outs over the next few months.<\/p>\n

What West Ham’s budget will be for this transfer window remains to be seen, but there are some suggestions it won’t come close to the \u00a390m dished out last year.<\/p>\n

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However, Pellegrini is a progressive coach and will want to put up a sustained challenge for European qualification next season, the question is: can the owners match his ambition?<\/p>\n

The South American recently reflected on a ‘positive’ maiden campaign in the London Stadium dugout, but has called for “further improvement” to top 2018\/19’s achievements.<\/p>\n

He said<\/a>: “Naturally, such progress gives us hope and belief that \u2013 if we continue to work hard together and focus in the right way \u2013 there will be further improvement next season and we can achieve our targets and objectives and find ourselves in a higher position this time next year.”<\/p>\n

2. A view from the press box<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With concerns over the fitness of both Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez, who both missed the majority of the season through injury, Pellegrini is expected to make a move for a new central midfielder.<\/p>\n

One player who could be on his way to the capital is Marseille’s Kevin Strootman, an all-round midfield enforcer, who has also endured his fair share of injury problems over the past few years, but an elite-level athlete on his day nonetheless.<\/p>\n