West Ham United have made no secret of their ambitions to challenge the Premier League elite.
West Ham have showed increased ambition since the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini.
The Hammers spent £100million last summer. And the club splashed another £80 this summer – although the net spend was more like £35m with a number of departures.
West Ham backed for top six tilt
Pellegrini is looking to build on last term’s comfortable 10th place finish and compete for a place in Europe.
West Ham had been backed to challenge for the top six this season by a host of pundits and former players.
Hammers legends Tony Cottee and Tony Gale have both tipped their old club to challenge for one of the top six spots (Sky Sports).
Others aren’t so sure
So too has talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham and former Hammer Don Hutchison (5 Live Sport).
A couple of ex West Ham stars disagree. Paul Ince feels his old club are still short (5 Live Sport) as does Joe Cole (talkSPORT).
It is an opinion shared by Hammers legend Geoff Hurst.
And the World Cup winner has told The Daily Star what Sullivan and Gold must do if they seriously want to challenge for the top six.
Legend Hurst tells owners what they need to do to challenge elite
“I’m hopeful it will settle down, we’ll have a good season, and I’m very hopeful we’re pushing on under Pellegrini,” Hurst told The Daily Star.
“We signed Fornals, we should be knocking on the door for the seventh/eighth/ninth position, and that would be a major step forward.
“Unless you’re going to spend £150m on two players, we aren’t going to get top six.”
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