It’s safe to say that West Ham United haven’t yet matched the ambitions shown by the owners in recent months, struggling to make a huge impact in the Premier League.
Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo were both brought into the London Stadium to try and bolster the options in the centre-back department, with the duo potentially costing around £75m with the latter originally arriving on loan with an obligation to buy.
However, the Hammers have still had their struggles at the back, conceding 19 times in the opening 11 league matches so far this campaign – keeping just two clean sheets in the process.
Such a record sees the club currently occupy 14th place as we head into the third international break of 2024/25, but it’s not just defensively where they have failed to impress most in recent months.
Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Füllkrug were also signed during the off-season, hoping to add the firepower needed to push the club closer to a return to Europa League football come the end of May.
However, the Dutchman has largely been limited to just substitute appearances, with £27m signing Fullkrug massively being hampered with injuries, which has resulted in him only featuring for a combined 63 league minutes this season.
Despite the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus still being present in the first-team, the Irons have only notched a total of 13 goals, with only five other sides in the division scoring fewer at this stage.
As a result, it’s led to huge questions being asked about the future of the club’s current manager, despite huge excitement over his arrival in the summer.
Julen Lopetegui’s time at West Ham
The departure of Europa Conference League-winning boss David Moyes at the end of the 2023/24 campaign allowed for a fresh start for the side after many fans registered their discontent towards the Scotsman.
His final season at the London Stadium saw the Hammers register a ninth placed league finish, but given their European success and lack of exciting football – the hierarchy opted for a change in manager.
It led to the appointment of Spanish boss Julen Lopetegui, who was out of work after leaving fellow English side Wolverhampton Wanderers 12 months prior after a fallout with the board.
His move to East London brought about a new sense of positivity after his recent success with Sevilla, which saw him claim the Europa League title in 2020/21 – with hopes that he could replicate said success with the Irons.
However, in his first 11 matches as manager, he’s failed to pull up many trees, achieving just a 31% win rate, achieving all three points on just three occasions in the Premier League.
Such a record, coupled with the hefty recruitment with the lack of impact, has already led to question marks about his long-term future at the club, potentially leading to an early departure for the 58-year-old.
Names such as former Benfica boss Roger Schmidt have already been thrown into the mix over a potential move to the London Stadium, but as of yet, there’s yet to be any form of update on the Spaniard’s future.
However, the club could look to move to another boss who’s previously been interested in taking the reins in East London, before the hierarchy opted for the appointment of Lopetegui.
The man who West Ham should appoint if Lopetegui’s sacked
Italian boss Massimiliano Allegri will forever be an eye-catching managerial name after his stint with Juventus in Serie A over the last few years.
The 57-year-old had two separate spells in charge of The Old Lady, between 2014-2019 before returning for a second spell at the helm in 2021-2024 – subsequently being replaced by Thiago Motta this summer.
His first spell was by far his most successful, winning five successive Serie A titles, along with two Super Cups and four Coppa Italia’s – making Juve a force to be reckoned with.
Any West Ham fan would give anything to have any form of consistent success, with Allegri a perfect option to allow the club to reach the next level and match the ambition shown by the hierarchy in the transfer market.
Whilst, on the face of it, any deal would seem super ambitious for the Hammers, the Italian was reportedly interested in a potential move to the London Stadium this summer, but as previously mentioned, other targets such as Lopetegui were chosen.
Allegri’s success is no accident, with his 3-5-2 system getting the best out of his players, leading to Frosinone’s Guido Angelozzi dubbing him a “mastermind”.
It could see him get the best out of one current Hammers talent who has failed to demonstrate his best form since Lopetegui’s appointment a couple of months ago.
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The man who Allegri would make unplayable for West Ham
Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta arrived at the London Stadium in a club-record £51m deal back in the summer of 2022, with huge expectations placed on his shoulders given the size of the transfer fee.
Whilst he’s undoubtedly shown glimpses of his ability, the Brazilian has yet to demonstrate such levels on a consistent basis, failing to produce the goods under the Spaniard.
In the Premier League this season, he’s only registered two goals and failed to provide any assists for his teammates, but Allegri’s arrival could allow the 27-year-old to spark into life.
As seen from his time at Juve, the Italian took forward Paulo Dybala under his wing and allowed the Argentine to flourish in Serie A, often featuring in the number 10 role behind the two centre-forwards.
During the five consecutive league title triumphs, Dybala notched a huge tally of 105 combined goals and assists – playing a real driving role in their success.
Such a record could leave Paqueta licking his lips over any potential move for the experienced boss, allowing him to fulfil the potential he once had upon his big-money move to the Premier League.
The Brazilian has all the tools to be a success, with his flair, set-piece ability and creativity allowing for endless opportunities under the right manager.
Games played
11
Goals & assists
2
Pass accuracy
78%
Dribble success
64%
Recoveries
6.2
Shots taken
1.5
Tackles won
60%
Allegri’s attacking system could fall perfectly into his hands, with the prospect of a fully firing Paqueta an exciting prospect.
It would undoubtedly be a dream appointment given his success elsewhere, but the 57-year-old could transform the current-sinking ship should the board lose patience with boss Lopetegui.
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