Julen Lopetegui’s big £40 million summer transfer mistake laid bare after killer West Ham injury blow

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West Ham United head coach Julen Lopetegui made a very big transfer mistake in the summer window as far as I’m concerned.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that Julen Lopetegui made some terrific signings for West Ham in the summer, and we definitely have a better squad now than when he took over.

The West Ham head coach brought in nine new players, and got rid of much of the deadwood at the London Stadium.

And it has been claimed that the Spaniard is still in the market to bring in at least one more signing on a free transfer.

Overall, I give Lopetegui and Tim Steidten an 8.5/10 for their summer business. I would have liked to see another striker arrive at the club and a young left-back with bags of pace.

I also think that the Hammers transfer team got one transfer completely wrong, it’s as simple as that.

And something that has happened during the international break lends credence to that notion…

Niclas Fullkrug injury a nightmare for West Ham

West Ham hitman Niclas Fullkrug has suffered a huge injury blow whilst away on international duty with Germany.

Ahead of Germany’s clash with Holland, the 31-year-old had to abandon the final training session in Amsterdam yesterday after just 15 minutes, due to problems with his Achilles tendon and calf.

The injury really was terrible timing for Fullkrug and Lopetegui, after the Spaniard had just been hand-fed the solution to the German’s problems, when he a scored for his country during a 5-0 win over Hungary.

Lopetegui’s decision to bring Niclas Fullkrug to West Ham for around £25 million may well end up being a real shocker.

He could have brought Jhon Duran to the London Stadium for around £40 million, and the Aston Villa ace would have been the far better option as far as I’m concerned.

West Ham were only willing to pay around £30 million for the Colombia international, but we should have just paid Villa what they wanted for him.

Duran would have taken this team to another level entirely what with his explosive pace, incredible movement and lethal finishing.

Fullkrug injury shines light on Lopetegui

The decision to sign Fullkrug instead of Duran was a big error as far as I’m concerned, not least because the German will clearly be more injury prone than someone who is 11 years his junior.

And it could end up being the difference between finishing inside the top six and the bottom half of the table for West Ham.

Sure, £40 million is a lot of money for a 20-year-old striker, but it’s not like he’s unproven is it?

We’ve all seen what Duran is capable of doing in the Premier League and for his country.

Niclas Fullkrug has been eased into life at West Ham, and is still yet to start a Premier League game. So perhaps it’s no surprise he’s suffered an injury, after he recently admitted that playing regularly is what has kept him injury free over the past two years.

I have no doubt that Julen Lopetegui failing to sign Duran and bringing in Fullkrug instead will end up being one of the worst decisions that the West Ham head coach has made in his career.

I really, really hope I’m wrong, but I can’t see it unfortunately.