West Ham United has experienced a significant turnaround in their Premier League fortunes recently, highlighted by a comprehensive 4-1 victory against Brentford and a subsequent 3-1 win at Everton. These results have elevated David Moyes’ team to seventh in the standings after 27 games, signaling a recovery from an earlier slump in 2024.
The transformation under Moyes since his reappointment has been remarkable, with the club now a consistent presence in European competitions and celebrating a Europa Conference League triumph last season – their first major trophy since winning the FA Cup in 1980.
This resurgence can largely be attributed to astute signings, including Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Kurt Zouma, Tomas Soucek, Mohammed Kudus, and Edson Alvarez. However, West Ham’s journey to this point has included its share of transfer missteps, exemplified by the acquisition of Sebastian Haller.
Haller arrived at West Ham in 2019 for a club-record £45 million but failed to live up to expectations, scoring only 14 goals in 54 appearances. His performance declined further under Moyes, leading to his sale to Ajax for about £20 million. Despite being one of the club’s highest earners at £75,000 per week, Haller’s output did not justify his cost or wages, underscoring the club’s previous challenges in the transfer market.
Another notable misjudgment was the signing of Andriy Yarmolenko a year before Haller. Despite his potential, Yarmolenko’s time at West Ham was plagued by injuries, limiting his impact and resulting in a cost of around £41 million to the club for minimal return. In contrast, recent signing Mohammed Kudus, who earns £90,000 per week, has already shown more promise, indicating a shift towards more effective and impactful recruitment.
Kudus’ performance, including nine goals in 30 appearances, reflects not only his scoring ability but also his work rate and versatility, traits that have endeared him to the West Ham supporters. His success exemplifies the club’s current direction, focusing on players who contribute to a unified and progressive squad ethos, contrasting with the mixed results from previous high-profile signings.