Nowhere near Europe: £150m vision ends in disappointment

Luis Guilherme, Foderingham, Kilman, Summerville, Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka, Mohamadou Kante, Carlos Soler - all under the tactical guidance of Julen Lopetegui. The project was bold, but it made sense.

West Ham's sporting directors invested heavily last summer to build a squad capable of sustaining European ambitions. Almost a year later, the boardroom handshakes have given way to scarf-waving frustration outside the stadium.

"£150 million for this?" fans are asking—a rough estimate of the club's spending on new signings, not including Lopetegui's hiring and dismissal package, nor the various wages of both permanent and loan acquisitions.

The Hammers now head into matchday 35 of the Premier League with a single objective - avoid ending the season uncomfortably close to the already-doomed trio of Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton.

The contrast is sharp when compared to the lofty ambitions that adorned boardroom vision boards eleven months ago. But this is the grim reality with four games to go.

At this same point last season, West Ham sat ninth with 49 points—13 more than now—on the back of 13 wins, 10 draws and 12 defeats, scoring 56 and conceding 65. Today, they sit 17th with 36 points from nine wins, nine draws and 16 losses, with 39 goals scored and 58 conceded.

In early January, after much hesitation, the London Stadium board decided to part ways with Lopetegui. They understandably tried to salvage faith in a project they had envisioned for the long term. Eventually, they turned to Graham Potter, who, in a bid for delayed stability, signed on until 2028.

The former Brighton and Chelsea manager—lauded at the former, questioned at the latter—has yet to unlock the potential of a squad brimming with talent.

That is why his moves in the transfer market this summer will be one of the most intriguing subplots ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign. Will the Hammers re-emerge as top-six contenders, or will chants of "£150 million for this?" echo once again outside the gates?