Guardian writers’ predicted position: 15th (NB: this is not necessarily Jacob Steinberg’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 14th
Prospects
The danger for West Ham is that this is the season when their dysfunction catches up with them. They have regressed since winning the Uefa Conference League two years ago, too many misguided moves preventing them from kicking on, and rebuilding has not been simple. Funds are tight after a series of costly errors in the transfer market and Graham Potter is yet to demonstrate he is capable of silencing the familiar sound of grumbling at the London Stadium.
Some fans fear a relegation battle beckons. West Ham underwhelmed last season, attempts to move on from David Moyes’s pragmatism by replacing the Scot with Julen Lopetegui proving predictably short-lived. They finished 14th, their improvement marginal after Potter replaced Lopetegui in January, a subsequent run of five wins in 19 games telling its own story.
The optimistic reading, though, is that this is the real start of the Potter era. The message was to judge him after a pre-season. Potter, who is expected to favour a 3-4-2-1 system, has worked on improving the team’s mentality. He wants more leadership. It is not a surprise that Potter has brought in a sports psychologist. The mood has also been lifted by Lucas Paquetá, the influential Brazilian midfielder, being found innocent of breaking betting regulations.
Paquetá has impressed during pre-season. Jarrod Bowen, the captain, continues to deliver in attack and has shown signs of a productive partnership with Niclas Füllkrug. There have been some encouraging additions, El Hadji Malick Diouf in particular catching the eye at left wing-back in pre-season. Potter and Kyle Macaulay, the head of recruitment, won a little battle when they convinced the board to buy the Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen. Callum Wilson, signed on a cheap short-term deal, offers experienced cover up front – if he can stay fit.
More signings are required, though. Several veterans have departed, the sale of Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham leaves a creative deficit and Potter’s hopes of making West Ham more proactive at home and better in possession will depend on whether the club can deliver a No 6 and a No 8. A lot remains up in the air. The picture will be clearer when the window shuts.
The manager
Potter’s reputation is yet to recover after his brutal, ill-fated stint at Chelsea. Feted as the brightest young English coach around when he was at Brighton, it took only seven traumatic months at Stamford Bridge to throw his promising career off course. Now the challenge is to prove the doubters wrong. West Ham were unsure about hiring Potter but may benefit from his calm, dignity and ability to improve players on the training ground. Patience could be key. Potter is not about instant success. He has tended to build slowly, so West Ham will need to trust him if they start slowly.
Off-field picture
Concerns over profitability and sustainability rules meant West Ham had to sell to buy at the start of the window. Supporters, though, do not want to hear the club pleading poverty. Many still begrudge the move to the unloved London Stadium which, despite having a capacity of 62,500, has hardly led to a change in West Ham’s fortunes. David Sullivan, the largest shareholder, is heavily criticised. The 76-year-old is not popular but remains highly influential. Less is made of the part played by the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who bought his stake in 2021. The Gold family put a proportion of their stake up for sale almost two years ago.
after newsletter promotion
Star signing
West Ham tracked Diouf for more than a year but decided against moving for him last summer. Tim Steidten, the then technical director, is understood to have felt the Senegal international was not good enough for the Premier League. It is just as well, then, that the overhyped Steidten left last February. West Ham looked at Diouf again – they needed a left-back after releasing Aaron Cresswell and putting Emerson Palmieri up for sale – and took the plunge. They paid £22m for the 20-year-old, who was excellent in Senegal’s win over England in June, and are excited about his crossing ability.
Stepping up
There were high hopes for George Earthy after a productive season on loan at Bristol City. However the attacking midfielder sustained an ankle ligament injury at the start of pre-season and is still on the mend. Earthy will hope to press his claim once he returns but in the meantime all eyes are on Freddie Potts, who has done well in pre-season. The 21-year-old, the son of the former West Ham defender Steve Potts, is a deep-lying midfielder and has looked comfortable on the ball in recent friendlies. Ollie Scarles, a 19-year-old left-back, will also hope for more minutes after being given opportunities last season.
A big season for …
The departure of Kudus means there will be pressure on Crysencio Summerville to step up and nail down a starting spot when he returns from a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old joined from Leeds last summer but the winger is yet to produce his best form for West Ham. He was a bit-part player under Lopetegui, who was reluctant to use the Dutchman’s speed and trickery, and has been out since tearing a hamstring during Potter’s first game. Surgery eventually followed and has left Summerville, who is expected to return next month, desperate to show what he can do. “When I’m back, it’s going to be showtime,” he said last month.