West Ham United's transformative £147m transfer window predicted with Porto, Spurs and Brighton deals

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Football Manager 2024 predicts how the remainder of the summer transfer window could play out for West Ham United.

Julen Lopetegui has wasted little time in putting his own stamp on the West Ham United squad he inherited from his predecessor David Moyes.

With just over seven weeks of the summer transfer window remaining, the Hammers have already secured the signings of Wolves captain Max Kilman, Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham and Brazilian talent Luis Guilherme at a combined cost of around £58m. There have also been departures with the sales of Flynn Downes, Said Benrahma and Thilo Kehrer recouping around £30m and academy graduate Ben Johnson left the club to join Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town on a free transfer after his contract came to an end.

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There is still plenty of work to be done for Lopetegui as he looks to build on the foundations left behind by Moyes and strengthening in midfield and attack will be key as he embarks on his first season in charge at the London Stadium. But what business could the former Wolves boss conduct before the transfer window comes to a close at the end of next month? We fire up Football Manager 2024 to see how the world’s most popular managerial simulation predicts the remainder of the summer transfer window could play out for West Ham.

Goalkeepers

There was one new addition to Lopetegui’s goalkeeping ranks but it came in the form of Sheffield United’s Wes Foderingham as we used the in-game editor to ensure the Hammers squad was fully up to date with their latest summer additions.

Lopetegui’s goalkeeper options: Alphonse Areola, Wes Foderingham, Lukasz Fabianski

Defenders

Admittedly, this is a risky choice given his lack of Premier League experience. But Davis made 22 assists for Ipswich Town last season and has a wand of a left foot. He has openly admitted to wanting a Newcastle move.Admittedly, this is a risky choice given his lack of Premier League experience. But Davis made 22 assists for Ipswich Town last season and has a wand of a left foot. He has openly admitted to wanting a Newcastle move.
Admittedly, this is a risky choice given his lack of Premier League experience. But Davis made 22 assists for Ipswich Town last season and has a wand of a left foot. He has openly admitted to wanting a Newcastle move. | Getty Images

With the expensive addition of Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Max Kilman already completed, Lopetegui further enhanced his defensive ranks with the signing of Ipswich Town left-back Leif Davis. The new Hammers boss completed a £21m move for a player that was key in the Tractor Boys’ successful push for promotion after seeing off competition from the likes of Southampton, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Wolves.

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Lopetegui’s defensive options: Nayef Aguerd, Max Kilman, Kurt Zouma, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Emerson, Aaron Cresswell, Vladmir Coufal, Leif Davis

Midfielders

After Flynn Downes saw his loan move to Southampton converted into a permanent switch, Lopetegui looked to Europe to bolster his options in the middle of the pitch as he completed a £12m move for Porto star Marko Grujic. That move sees the Serbia international return to the Premier League after he spent six years as a Liverpool player - although the majority of his time at Anfield was spent on loan with the likes of Hertha Berlin, Cardiff City and Porto.

Lopetegui’s midfield options: James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Marko Grujic

Forwards

The Leicester City forward was a league title winner last summer but fell down the pecking order. Still only 27, he has a wealth of experience and a wicked left foot that would certainly be welcomed at Everton.The Leicester City forward was a league title winner last summer but fell down the pecking order. Still only 27, he has a wealth of experience and a wicked left foot that would certainly be welcomed at Everton.
The Leicester City forward was a league title winner last summer but fell down the pecking order. Still only 27, he has a wealth of experience and a wicked left foot that would certainly be welcomed at Everton. | Getty Images

Now this is where the action really happened for Lopetegui and there is an argument to suggest this exactly where the new Hammers boss should be looking to strengthen over the remainder of the transfer window. Firstly, an outgoing, as Danny Ings returns to Southampton in a cut price move and that freed up some space for Lopetegui to boost his attacking ranks. There were two bargain additions as Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho joined on a free transfer after his departure from Leicester City and Deniz Undav was secured on a season-long loan from Brighton. Two wingers were also added to the Hammers squad as Freiburg’s Ristu Doan and Tottenham Hotspur’s Manor Solomon came in for a combined £20m.

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Lopetegui’s forward options: Mohamed Kudus, Maxwel Cornet, Jarrod Bowen, Luis Guilherme, Michail Antonio, Ritsu Doan, Kelechi Iheanacho, Manor Solomon, Deniz Undav

Ins

Kilman (£42m from Wolves), Guilherme (£18m from Palmeiras), Foderingham (free transfer from Sheffield United), Leif Davis (£21m from Ipswich Town), Ritsu Doan (£3m from Freiburg), Kelechi Iheanacho (free from Leicester City), Manor Solomon (£17m from Spurs), Marko Grujic (£12m from Porto), Denis Undav (loan from Brighton and Hove Albion)

Downes (£13m to Southampton), Benrahma (£10m to Lyon), Kehrer (£7m to Monaco), Johnson (free to Ipswich Town), Danny Ings (£4m to Southampton)

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