Two West Ham United gamers who featured within the draw towards Fulham at the moment are set to be deemed surplus to necessities and bought within the subsequent switch window, based on a latest report, simply 4 video games into Julen Lopetegui‘s reign.
West Ham’s tough begin
After being one of many Premier League‘s most lively sides over the summer time switch window, it has been an underwhelming begin to life underneath Lopetegui’s administration on the London Stadium.
4 video games into the season, the Hammers have hardly set the Premier League alight. They at the moment sit 14th within the league with only a single win to their identify, coming towards Crystal Palace.
A troublesome fixture record implies that they’ve tasted defeat by the hands of reigning champions Manchester Metropolis and European hopefuls Aston Villa, each on the London Stadium.
However maybe extra regarding was their efficiency towards Fulham, with Lopetegui’s aspect seeing much less of the ball than their hosts, in addition to having fewer photographs heading in the right direction and fewer touches contained in the opposition penalty space, hardly hallmarks of an upwardly cellular Premier League aspect because the Hammers wish to be.
West Ham | Fulham | |
Possession | 45.5% | 55.5% |
Pictures | 21 | 11 |
Pictures heading in the right direction | 5 | 3 |
Touches contained in the opposition field | 29 | 13 |
Blocked photographs | 3 | 8 |
They have been rescued deep into stoppage time by Danny Ings, who was discovered contained in the Fulham penalty space by Jarrod Bowen earlier than firing low into the nook previous Bernd Leno to salvage a degree for the guests.
And modifications are already being deliberate by Lopetegui as he seems forward to January, with Ings amongst those that may depart.
West Ham pair may depart in January
That comes courtesy of a report from Soccer Insider, who declare that each Ings and Michail Antonio may each be allowed to go away in January because the Hammers look to proceed their rebuild.
Antonio led the road for the primary half towards Fulham within the absence of summer time signing Niklas Fullkrug, whereas Ings got here off the bench to attain.
Nonetheless, the report means that the duo, who’re set to be free brokers subsequent summer time, could possibly be shifted within the subsequent switch window.
It’s because their exits would “liberate some area inside the squad” in addition to serving to “decrease the wage invoice”, with Antonio taking residence £100,000 per week on the London Stadium, whereas Ings is on an much more profitable £125,000 per week contract.
Signing a brand new striker is seen as a “high precedence” on the London Stadium, with earlier hyperlinks to Jhon Duran over the summer time earlier than a deal broke down. Although they finally signed Fullkrug, they’re eager so as to add one other ahead to their ranks to enhance the standard in huge areas already on the membership.
Ought to they be capable of discover consumers for both Ings or Antonio, it may have the additional benefit of including extra funds to the switch kitty accessible to Lopetegui, who spent freely in the summertime and is but to see any early returns on that funding, although performances are solely probably to enhance as his new signings start to gel.
