West Ham will be bubbling under the Premier League frontrunners and could finish in the top four
West Ham have made bold moves in the transfer market ahead of an exciting new season.
Could West Ham be valid outsiders for a place in the Premier League top four and Champions League football next season?
Yes, you have read that correctly. The Hammers have entered the equation and before the men in white coats carrying straitjackets are dispatched to Tipster Towers here’s the case for the defence.
After years of thinking they are bigger than their boots, West Ham are assembling a squad which has real depth and is full of quality.
They have appointed a high-profile manger in Julen Lopetegui, who experienced life in the English game at Wolves following stints in command at Sevilla, Real Madrid, Porto and at international level with Spain, and crucially they won’t be distracted by European football this season.
Their summer signings so far have gained an A- grade with Niclas Fullkrug being snapped up from Borussia Dortmund after shining for Germany at Euro 2024, Crysencio Summerville adding to the firepower after being drafted in from Leeds and the defence strengthened by capturing Jean-Clair Todibo from Nice under the noses of a series of rivals including Juventus.
They have also agreed a deal for Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka while Max Kilman, Guido Rodriguez, Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham are also solid acquisitions with the only notable departure being Kurt Zouma, who has agreed to join Dubai club Shabab Al-Ahli.
That means Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse and crucially Lucas Paqueta remain on the books to form a strong backbone at the London Stadium.
It will be a stretch for West Ham to finish in the top four as the 16/1 with William Hill, Coral and Ladbrokes suggests, although they could give punters a run for their money with a bit of luck, but a place in the top six isn’t out of the question at 6/1 with Unibet and BetMGM. That’s certainly better value than Newcastle at an industry best price of 17/20 with Paddy Power and Betfair.
The best bets on the Hammers, however, start with Sky Bet’s 10/11 for them to finish in the top half once again after winding up ninth last term and continue with the 14/1 chalked up by bet365 that they finish best of the rest without the top six of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea.
The latter wager needs Aston Villa to regress but their heavy Champions League workload and the increased weight of expectations could easily see that happen.
• Monday Night Football returns with a belter from the Championship as Luton and Burnley begin their attempt to return to the Premier League at the first opportunity. The Hatters have retained most of the squad which had a good crack at staying up with manager Rob Edward’s signing a new deal at Kenilworth Road, while the Clarets may take time to adjust to the new era under Scott Parker’s tutelage.
Luton appeal at 29/20 with Ladbrokes and Coral while Carlton Morris, who scored 11 times in the top flight last season, is 7/1 with Sky Bet to break the deadlock and 14/5 with Unibet and BetUK to find the net at any time.
• Birmingham Phoenix are 17/20 with Betway to beat Trent Rockets in The Hundred at Edgbaston. Jamie Smith is 7/2 with Paddy Power and Betfair to be top runscorer for the home side with Joe Root the same price with the same firms to do so for the visitors.
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