Manuel Pellegrini is delighted with way the Hammers are developing and in particular how the club went about its transfer business this summer.
With many clubs doing frantic business on deadline, the Irons did their main business early and there was a clear plan from the start.
The manager told reporters: “We started working with the owners and the sporting directors when we finished last season. We knew some players would not continue here.
We knew we needed young players. We tried to make a mix and have a competitive squad. And also players like Cardoso and Ajeti, and to bring to the first-team Ben Johnson to continue working for the future and not just this season.”
There has been much criticism of the club’s transfer strategy in previous years but progress is clearly being made with the manager adding: “We improved our budget and spent more money because all the other teams are doing it.
“We are not the team who spends the most. But I think we are spending what we need to be competitive team. You have six very big teams and other who are similar to West Ham. We need to continue improving and Pelle admits the ambition is there to hopefully break into the top six this year.
He said: “At least you must have the ambition to do it. Not only West Ham and Everton, but Leicester won the league a couple of years ago.
Wolves are demonstrating every year that they are improving. There are four or five teams. Bournemouth also play very well with Watford. There are a lot of teams who have the same target as we have.”