West Ham United is a club on a mission. The Hammers finished the 2022/23 season in 14th position, only six points off the relegation zone. This poor showing, compared with the previous two seasons, sparked rumours that manager David Moyes’ job was under threat.

West Ham Utd fans endured a season of mixed emotions in the 2022/23 campaign, but ultimately, it ended in joy when David Moyes led the team to Europa Conference League glory.

Despite proudly lifting the Europa Conference League trophy in the 2022/23 campaign, West Ham United’s Premier League form can be best described as woeful. Our preparations for the 2023/24 campaign were not simple either given the almost endless Declan Rice saga, and as he eventually moved on to Arsenal for £105 million, his departure was followed by Manuel Lanzini, Gianluca Scamacca and Nikola Vlasic.

It’s the nature of modern football fans to finish a transfer window feeling unsatisfied. Even fans of ‘complete’ teams like Manchester City will inevitably want more once the window has shut. This is normal, a feature of modern fandom that always points to areas that need improving. And yet for West Ham fans, this has certainly been a quiet summer, at least thus far. We know that some signings will come through the door, including Edson Alvarez, in the coming weeks and days, so it’s not time to panic. Yet, it remains the case that, even if another two or three players are added, West Ham still have a small squad, particularly when there is a Europa League campaign to navigate.

It’s a nervy moment at the Eden Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. The clock ticks into the first of five minutes of extra time. The scoreboard reads 1-1; the air is filled with palpable tension. Lucas Paqueta weighted through pass into the path of the onrushing Jarrod Bowen splits open Fiorentina’s backline.