West Ham United have the strongest financial position in the Championship and very little to show for it so far. The £85m sale of Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham has given the club room to reshape Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad, yet the first major addition of the summer is still missing.
Keiber Lamadrid’s permanent move has been completed, but the winger was already at West Ham on loan last season and made only one senior appearance. His arrival may prove useful in the long term, although it does not address the immediate gaps in a squad expected to challenge for promotion.
Meanwhile, several Championship rivals have begun strengthening early. West Ham do not need to copy every move around them, but the difference in activity is becoming harder to ignore.
Championship rivals have already started building
Transfer spending does not guarantee promotion, and the Championship has produced countless examples of expensive squads failing to find balance. West Ham should not rush into deals simply because other clubs have announced new players.
Even so, early recruitment carries obvious benefits. New signings can complete pre-season, learn tactical instructions and build relationships before competitive matches begin, while managers gain a clearer picture of the squad they will take into the opening weeks.
West Ham currently lack that clarity. Transfermarkt’s Championship figures showed clubs had already committed more than €130m this summer, with Stoke City, Burnley, Wolves, Southampton and Derby County among those adding first-team players.
The numbers will keep changing and undisclosed fees make exact comparisons difficult. The broader picture remains clear: West Ham are one of the division’s least active clubs despite holding its strongest transfer balance.
ReadWestHam’s latest transfer-window overview highlighted how many possible additions remain targets rather than completed deals. Connor Barron, Patrick Berg, Gustavo Sá, Tommy Watson, James McAtee and Evander have all been linked, but none has yet joined Nuno’s squad.
The Fernandes sale changes the standard
West Ham could reasonably have asked supporters for patience before the Fernandes transfer was completed. Relegation creates uncertainty around wages, departures and the level of player willing to drop into the Championship, while the board also needed to know how much money would be available.
Those explanations no longer carry the same weight. Selling Fernandes for £85m has created enough room to rebuild several areas without placing the club under immediate financial pressure.
West Ham are not operating like a typical Championship side forced to sell one player before making a modest addition. They have already generated one of the largest fees in the club’s history and now need to turn that money into a balanced promotion squad.
ReadWestHam has examined how a £15m move for Evander could add the creativity missing from Nuno’s midfield. A signing of that profile would begin replacing Fernandes’ influence while still leaving funds available for other priority areas.
Nuno needs more than one midfielder. West Ham also require attacking depth, another reliable central defender and enough energy to survive a demanding 46-game campaign.
Retaining players cannot be the whole strategy
West Ham are working to keep Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and other senior players capable of thriving in the Championship. That work is important, particularly in Bowen’s case, because his goals, leadership and connection with supporters would be difficult to replace.
Retention alone does not strengthen the squad. Fernandes has left a major gap in midfield, several fringe players have moved on and the group already lacked depth before relegation.
Nuno cannot begin the season with largely the same squad, minus one of its best midfielders, and expect the drop in division to solve every weakness. The Championship is physically demanding and tactically varied, with many opponents likely to defend deep, surrender possession and target set-pieces.
West Ham need players specifically recruited for those challenges. Keeping their strongest names should form part of the plan, not replace it.
West Ham still have time, but not unlimited time
The window remains open until September, so claims of a complete recruitment failure would be premature. Two or three quick additions could change the mood around the club within days, particularly if negotiations have advanced quietly.
Competitive football is approaching much faster than the transfer deadline, though. Every delayed deal reduces the time available for Nuno to integrate new players and increases the risk of West Ham entering August with obvious gaps.
Patience is valuable when it protects a club from poor decisions. It becomes damaging when inactivity creates panic and forces rushed business later in the window.
West Ham have money, an experienced manager and the clear objective of immediate promotion. Their rivals have already started preparing for the race, and the Hammers now need to move.
