Stan Collymore hails West Ham United board after new transfer development: View

Stan Collymore has heaped praise on the West Ham United board for securing the signing of Max KIlman for Julen Lopetegui this summer.

The Hammers sealed a £40million deal for the former Wolves skipper after Lopetegui made him his number one target for the summer, following Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham through the doors.

Collymore, writing (11 July) believes Lopetegui’s ego was a big part of that deal getting over the line, and believes the board will now put their money where their mouth is.

“I think that we got it absolutely spot on in this column previously about West Ham having to make sure that Lopetegui’s ego, which is big, is assuaged and pandered to,” he said.

“The fact that he wanted a player that he worked with at Wolves in Max Kilman, and West Ham got him straightaway, tells you that the club have effectively said ‘we’ll back you.’

“So that’s a really positive sign and it’s one step forward and not two steps back, but another one forward for a change.

“Like other clubs, they will get mentioned and linked with several players over the next few weeks, but I think that Lopetegui has his wish list, and they’ve got target number one.

“The manager will already feel like he can walk into the office and start to put his plans for pre-season together, knowing that the West Ham board are going to put their money where their mouth is.

“They did put in a lower bid for Kilman which was turned down, but the West Ham of old would’ve walked away. Not anymore.

“They’ve got a very good, top 10 squad already, and on the back of the Euros if they want to tap into the whole ‘West Ham won the World Cup’ thing, they all of a sudden become a more attractive proposition for players.”

West Ham United finally acting like a big club

It feels like years since the Hammers have been telling the world that they’re a serious football club with big aspirations, but people haven’t really taken them very seriously.

The club beat a host of Europe’s elite to sign Lucas Paqueta, then did the same with Mohammed Kudus and hired Tim Steidten to ensure they weren’t a passing thought for top talent in the transfer market.

Then this summer they made the not-so-difficult decision to part ways with David Moyes despite his successes to try and implement a more attacking style that is more palatable.

Now they’re working efficiently and quickly in the transfer market and throwing their weight around as they should, demanding record fees for their best players and taking the best players of their rivals to bolster their squad.

The aim should always be finishing in the European places and going on cup runs, and under Lopetegui and this board, they seem to be going in the right direction.