After a turbulent first season at the London Stadium, West Ham will be looking to climb up the Premier League table this season.
Slaven Bilic will need to do so with some new additions to his squad. Some have already arrived, some are on the verge of joining, and others are bound to be just round the corner—as the transfer window still has six weeks to run.
But with all this spending, how will Bilic's team line up next season? Newsweek takes a look.
Goalkeeper
The biggest coup of the summer for Bilic so far has been the capture of Joe Hart. The England No. 1 spent last season on loan at Torino in the Italian Serie A after Pep Guardiola made it clear he was not wanted at Manchester City. West Ham now has one of the best goalkeepers in the league in its team.
Defense
Hart will have at least one familiar face at the London Stadium next season after West Ham also signed former Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta. The 32-year-old Argentinian will play a key role at right back for West Ham, alongside Winston Reid and January signing Jose Fonte. Bilic will hope that he will also be selecting Aaron Cresswell on the left side of his defense, but the 27-year-old has been linked with a move away from London Stadium.
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Midfield
Hammers captain Mark Noble may find it difficult to find a space in the starting line-up next season as Bilic has plenty of options going forward. Cheikhou Kouyate's impressive performances for West Ham, a giant in the middle of the pitch, will see him get a place. If Bilic is feeling adventurous, he may deploy January signing Robert Snodgrass alongside him, with license to advance forward and pick the passes for West Ham's attack.
Attack
West Ham has the potential to have one of the most versatile and lethal attacks in the Premier League next season. Manuel Lanzini has proved to be among the league's most creative players, troubling each defense he has come up against, and the 24-year-old Argentinian looks set to be joined by Marko Arnautovic, the Stoke City forward.
Bilic looks set to have plenty of options to lead the line. Michail Antonio was one of the team's best players last season, appearing in defense, midfield and attack, where he scored nine goals. Andre Ayew will also be an option, after he joined from Swansea in January. But West Ham looks set to bring former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez to the London Stadium from Bayer Leverkusen. The Mexican is known for his scoring capability, and he would work well playing off the giant Andy Carroll up front, assuming he stays fit for the season.
Uncommon Knowledge
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