Feature

2024/25 club preview: West Ham United

25 Jul 2024
Kilman

With several new signings and a new head coach, can West Ham return to Europe under Julen Lopetegui?

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West Ham United

David Moyes was an excellent West Ham United manager yet supporters are excited – and relieved - that a new era has begun. 

Fans have long wanted a more adventurous head coach befitting the club’s history and Moyes just couldn’t provide it.  

But there’s a problem. Julen Lopetegui is not known for playing exciting attacking football. West Ham have moved to possession football that is arguably just as conservative, and just as dry, as what went before. 

Performance last season

Premier League

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
6 Chelsea CHE 38 +14 63
7 Newcastle NEW 38 +23 60
8 Man Utd MUN 38 -1 60
9 West Ham WHU 38 -14 52
10 Crystal Palace CRY 38 -1 49
View More

FA Cup: Quarter-final
EFL Cup: Third round
UEFA Europa League: Quarter-final 

Last five seasons 
Season League position 
2019/20  16th
2020/21  6th
2021/22  7th
2022/23  14th
2023/24  9th
Best Premier League finish

Fifth: 1998/99

See: More about West Ham's history

Season aims  

Pushing for a European spot is surely the brief for Lopetegui, and with a squad as talented as West Ham’s there is no reason why they can’t do it. 

The primary goal, however, is to bring a more entertaining and forward-thinking style to the London Stadium. The mission isn’t just to get into Europe. It’s to do it in style.  

Video is currently not available.

Key transfers  

A flurry of recent activity has put West Ham in a strong position. Niclas Fullkrug, a big hit in the Champions League and Euro 2024, could finally be the goalscoring striker the Hammers have spent years searching for. 

West Ham's key transfers
Player Transfer type Club
Said Benrahma Transfer Out Olympique Lyonnais
Maximilian Kilman Transfer In Wolves
Crysencio Summerville Transfer In Leeds
Niclas Fullkrug Transfer In Borussia Dortmund
Guido Rodriguez Transfer In -
Jean-Clair Todibo Loan In Nice
Aaron Wan-Bissaka Transfer In Man Utd
 

Maximilian Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Crysencio Summerville, who contributed 28 goals or assists for Leeds United last season, are very good signings too. The addition of Aaron Wan-Bissaka further strengthens the new-look defence.

Tactics

Utilising a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, Lopetegui teams are built on slow possession that aims to win through suffocation. His is risk-averse football of a different sort to Moyes’s. 

It means few goals conceded – and few scored. Lopetegui’s Real Madrid and Sevilla sides scored 181 goals in 131 matches, or 1.38 a match, whereas Moyes’s West Ham scored 248 goals in 169 Premier League encounters in his second spell as manager, at a higher rate of 1.47 per match.

Injury report
Player Injury Latest update
Edson Alvarez - Details

See: Latest injuries and news

Pre-season results and fixtures

15 July Ferencvaros 2-2 West Ham Report
20 July
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-1 West Ham Report
28 July West Ham 1-3 Wolves Report
4 Aug Crystal Palace 3-1 West Ham Report
10 Aug v Celta Vigo (H) Details

Best XI (4-2-3-1)

Alphonse Areola; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Maximilian Kilman, Emerson, Edson Alvarez; Lucas Paqueta; Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, Crysencio Summerville; Niclas Fullkrug.

Opening PL fixtures
Kits
West Ham home kit
West Ham United away kit
West Ham third kit

See: More details at West Ham's online store

Where will they finish?

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