The signs of West Ham’s ageing squad are everywhere. First choice goalkeeper Lucas Fabianski is nearly 40. Substitute left back and vice captain Aaron Cresswell is 35. Many consider it a result of a long term failure to recruit that has led West Ham to this precipice. However, summed up bluntly in data source transfermarkt.co.uk’s own article yesterday entitled “Oldest squad in the PL – Why West Ham’s short-term spending is costing them long-term success” is a brutal, no holds barred snap-shot of exactly why the club is struggling for success.
The above examples are by no means the exceptions – James Ward-Prowse was £30 million at the age of 29 when West Ham brought him to the club last year – under 12 months later and he’s unwanted, bench-sitting at Nottingham Forest just depreciating hugely every game that passes him by.
West Ham’s strategy seems doomed for failure. As the report states “ it should come as no great surprise to find that the average age of their [West Ham’s] signings this season stands at 26.7. In stark contrast, Bournemouth – who sit seven places above West Ham in the Premier League table – have signed nine players with an average age of just 21.8 this season.

Average age of every current player when they joined the club. Thanks to transfermarkt.co.uk
The lack of any strategy to buy for the future over successive windows has come home to roost. Players such as Fullkrug are now virtually worthless having been 31 when West Ham paid over £20 million for his services – before he promptly got himself injured (surprise, surprise) and has missed most of the season so far, starting just a couple of occasions and to my memory completing ninety minutes once.
Having players who are an average age of four years older than competitors means PSR issues are building up – players have less worth as they age, so spending £40 million on a 27 year old Max Kilman means very little residual value to sell-on in say four years. Had the same money had been spent on a 23 year-old then chances are West Ham could repeat the ‘Kudus’ example and find him actually worth more by the time he is sold.
Short sighted indeed under a Premier League financial regime that actually promotes youth. Culprits Moyes and Lopetegui have departed – will common denominator technical director Tim Steidten be far behind?
The report has its own damning conclusion:
“This perhaps then explains why West Ham manage to spend so much money without earning a huge amount of success from it. For example, over the course of the last four and a half seasons, the London club have spent more than all but six clubs in England, but are still facing the daunting scenario of four of their 15 most used players in the league this season being over the age of 30”
Time for a change in strategy. No more senior citizens.
Aaron Cresswell and Lucas Fabianski great examples of long term spending. Amazing value for money. Probably past their best now though.
The trouble is what are mcauley and co gonna do with a shoestring budget , potter and mcauley were at Chelsea together with a mountain of cash available and if my memory serves me well it didn’t pay off potter got the bullet. Steidten had no where near as much to dish out , Nd seems to be taking a lot of unnecessary flak?
I didn’t have extensive issues with Moyes but his recruitment was appalling and often non existent. We are still suffering that now.
Place that within a background of Sullivans deranged decisions and it explains precisely where we are now.
As others have said this is Sullivan’s mess. If he says to his recruitment team “no one over 25” then that’s what happens. He gives (or seemingly doesn’t give) the direction, and signs off on approach.
You’ll also note Sullivan is 100% risk averse, and doesn’t want to sign anyone that isn’t “proven” plus loves the wow factor of an ageing superstar.
Steidten presented Osman, backed by Noble. Sullivan baulked at the figure and said no. Who signed him….Brighton.
Club signs Guillerme…18, bags of potential, universally recognised as a huge talent but one not ready yet to have a dramatic first team impact, and needs further development (which is why he wasn’t 50m). 6 months down the road, and Sullivan is trying to bin off the 18 year old.
A fish rots from the head, and Sullivan is rotten. Just ask Sacha Wall.
https://www.westhamonline.net
Oh look the sullivan fed site’s running down Steidten again. How many games did Fullkrug miss in the 3 season prior to this one? 7 is the answer. The reason we overpaid was due to his exceptional season last year and his performances at the euros (remember when everyone including this site was raving about what an exceptional signing he was) Your line “Fullkrug is virtually worthless having been 31 when West Ham paid over £20 million for his services – before he promptly got himself injured (surprise, surprise)” might have well been written by the poisonous porno dwarf himself or his gobby son.
The common denominator is Sullivan not Tim.
This isn’t new news is it! Sulli doesn’t want to invest in us, he staggers through season after season buying players that he thinks will attract ticket sales. We play a season at a time on a gamble. When it starts, the enthusiasm of a active transfer window soon becomes an exhausting struggle as energy levels dip.
Our win in the Euros was about grit and motivation, the players were tired and we struggled through. We could not replicate that as exhaustion kicked in. No fault of managers but just mental exhaustion of older tired players.
No academy introduction in our seasons, no young player given a chance and carried by an energised team. Sulli buys individuals not teams.
He has a very poor footballing brain, ending up selling players rather than allowing a manager to grow them.
Still waiting for “The Project” to work!
This is not a Steidten issue. This predates Moyes and Lopetegui all the way back 15 years. Sullivan is responsible as he is chairman and controls everything. He signs off on the deals. He is also responsible for devising and putting in place a long term plan and strategy for recruitment and how the club will operate, its playi philosophy because West Ham do not and have never had a DOF. Steidten is a Tech Director and recruitment picks are shared around and Sullivan has veto power on everything.
The old adage about failing businesses applies here: “The fish rots from the head”. No leadership and an owner who still meddles in recruitment. Thru favourite agent mates.
West Ham recruitment needs SULLIVAN OUT along with his dodgy agents
This is exactly it, and yet we want to sell Luis Guilherme who is exactly what we need for building a team for the future. The fans are happy to run with a up and down season if they can see a young team trying and getting experience for seasons to come, a team that grows with fans and we can buy into. West Ham are nothing like that at the moment.