Manuel Pellegrini sends clear message to West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold over summer transfer expectations

Manuel Pellegrini has made it abundantly clear he expects to be backed in the transfer market by West Ham United’s owners again this summer.

West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold were dealing with a supporter revolt before they appointed Pellegrini last summer.

They then backed the Chilean with an unprecedented £100million transfer war chest.

Pellegrini and director of football Mario Husillos proved they can be trusted with the money.

Shrewd signings like Issa Diop, Lukasz Fabianski, Fabian Balbuena, Felipe Anderson, Samir Nasri and – before his season-ending injury – Andriy Yarmolenko have vastly improved West Ham.

Pellegrini was calm over quiet January window

When the January window shut without any new additions beyond freebie Nasri, it left many Hammers fans feeling flat and suspicious.

A section of supporters feel the transfer splurge after Pellegrini’s appointment may well prove to be a one-off.

West Ham fans feel that kind of investment is required consistently if the club is to truly progress and eventually challenge the Premier League elite.

After all that was the dream and reasoning sold to them on leaving their beloved Upton Park for the London Stadium.

Pellegrini had a considered view of the January window and insisted the media were more interested in bringing players to the club than he was (whufc.com).

Photo by Matthew Lewis Getty Images

West Ham owners left in no doubt over manager’s summer expectations

But he has made it clear he expects financial backing again this summer if he is to achieve his and the club’s ambitions.

“You can make that jump in quality (to challenge the top teams),” Pellegrini told whufc.com.

“That’s why I’m here. It’s not about compromising and saying ‘well, they’re the six big teams and we have to stay down here beneath them’.

“If you’re not signing a single player then OK but if there is investment and that investment goes with having a proper idea about how you want to play, then why can’t you make that jump in quality?

“Yes, you need time, but the clock starts ticking from the first minute we arrive. You can’t say ‘no, we need three years to do anything’. You have to try to do it in the first year and if you come up short then you address those shortcomings and go again the second season.

“The first target is Europe. It’s a very personal target because it’s something I have always done it. In five years in Villarreal we always played in Europe be that Champions League or Europa League.

Photo by West Ham United FC Getty Images

‘I’m certain we will achieve it’

“Then we got Malaga into the Champions League,. Then we played in the Champions League with Real Madrid, and then got Manchester City out of the group stage for the first time.

“So, I don’t imagine not having a mentality of trying for that. I’m certain we will achieve it. If we don’t this season then this is a year of preparing for trying to do it next season.”

Sullivan and Gold had better be prepared for another summer of heavy investment.

At least three – if not all four – of West Ham’s senior strikers could leave in the summer and need replacing.

West Ham are short in several areas. They need more energy and athleticism in central midfield. They require a new left-back, a new central defender – possibly two – and more squad depth generally.

The club may not have much left to play for this season.

But it means they can make headway on transfer targets ready for when the window re-opens.

Transfer News

Manuel Pellegrini sends clear message to West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold over summer transfer expectations

Pellegrini was calm over quiet January window

West Ham owners left in no doubt over manager’s summer expectations

‘I’m certain we will achieve it’