West Ham are widely regarded to have “won the transfer window” and two of their nine arrivals are already proving themselves to be top additions.
Just as the new Premier League season and a new era for West Ham was getting up a head of steam, along comes yet another international break.
After one of the dullest international tournaments in living memory over the summer, just three league games into the new season West Ham’s top stars have been jetting off around the globe to represent their countries.
In an ideal world Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui would have all his players at Rush Green as he tries to get his philosophy across to new-look West Ham squad.
Most other clubs aiming for Europe are in the same boat, though.
The good news is Premier League football returns next weekend with West Ham travelling across London to Fulham.
While the international break can feel like watching paint dry, it does allow time for reflection too.
Not just for Lopetegui and his staff but the statisticians too.
West Ham technical director Tim Steidten was extremely busy over the summer.
The German oversaw a major Hammers squad overhaul with a total turnover of 21 players.
Nine new signings arrived in the shape of Luis Guilherme, Wes Foderingham, Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez, Jean-Clair Todibo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Carlos Soler.
A 10th signing may yet be added this week too.
Lopetegui and Steidten are weighing up the possibility of signing central defender John Egan on a free transfer. Joel Matip – released by Liverpool in the summer – is also in West Ham’s sights.
The Hammers have until the Premier League final squad deadline next Saturday – September 14th – to do that.
A total of 12 players left the London Stadium too.
Many observers have hailed West Ham’s summer business. It has been labelled the club’s best ever transfer window.
And two West Ham stars have been named in the Premier League’s top 10 best performing new signings.
WhoScored are the world’s leading football data experts.
They have compiled list of the top flight’s best new signings based on detailed performance data so far.
The only stipulations are that the players must have made at least two appearances for their new clubs. And it does not include players who simply had loan moves made permanent over the summer.
Exciting new Man City winger Savinho has been named the best summer signing based on the games so far.
And a West Ham duo also make the list.
In 10th place is new Hammers right-back Wan-Bissaka with a WhoScored average match rating of 6.79/10.
Wan-Bissaka has already been a revelation in east London.
That’s despite only making one Premier League start so far. Wan-Bissaka has been so good that he is being billed as one of the captures of the summer at £15m.
Many Man United fans have also questioned the decision to sell him.
In ninth place is new West Ham centre-back Kilman.
Eyebrows were raised by some when the Hammers paid £40m for the cultured, ball-carrying defender. Some Wolves fans even claimed the Irons had overpaid.
But Kilman is already looking like a bargain, impressing in every game so far. WhoScored have given Kilman a 6.81/10 rating so far.
The 27-year-old also has a brilliant assist to his name after a superb 40-yard run and pass to Jarrod Bowen in a 2-0 win at Palace.
Proof, if it were needed, they Steidten and Lopetegui certainly know what they’re doing.
Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh was eighth, Man United’s Noussair Mazraoui is seventh, Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is sixth and Forest’s Elliot Anderson is fifth.
Former West Ham target Amadou Onana – who scored against the Hammers on the opening day – is rated second.
Yukinari Sugawara of Southampton is third and Leicester’s Facundo Buonanotte is fourth.
Let’s hope more of West Ham’s raft of new boys join the duo on the list in the coming months.
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