Despite bringing in encouraging signings like Javier Hernandez, Marko Arnautovic, and Pablo Zabaleta, West Ham fans will have been frustrated at the end of the transfer window as their club once again made it seem like they were after big name players, but seemingly never got off the ground in terms of a deal.
Manager Slaven Bilic made clear the need for new players, but the most high-profile of their potential signings, Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho, remained at his club despite wanting to leave. The club's owners discussed going after the Portugal international, and even seemed to have put a £28m bid in, but as the asking price of £40m was deemed too expensive, no deal was made.
West Ham joint-chairman David Sullivan has since released a statement to the club's website where he explains the failure to land Carvalho, before claiming Slaven Bilic rejected Grzegorz Krychowiak and Renato Sanches as alternative signings.
Overall Slaven is happy with the business we have done during the summer transfer window. We received the manager's wish-list before the window opened and we have managed to get the top four players on it.
It is no secret that we made a club record bid for Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho but unfortunately that offer was rejected a couple of weeks ago.
Late last night Sporting Lisbon made contact to accept the original offer, but unfortunately it was just too late in the day, and we simply did not have enough time to put the player through a medical.
We were not prepared, as a club, to buy a player for that amount of money without him having gone through adequate medical checks.
Grzegorz Krychowiak and Renato Sanches were both offered to the manager before their switches elsewhere, but he told us that he is happy with the squad he has.
As a Board we are behind Slaven, and he believes he has the tools to turn around our form and rectify our disappointing start to the season.
That seems like a crazy thing to say to the fans, and Slaven Bilic can't be thrilled at basically being blamed for not bringing in new players, which can be used against him if the results don't turn around.
Needless to say, West Ham fans are not happy, with some accusing the co-owner of lying to get Bilic to resign.
#WHUFC Sullivan has just thrown Bilic completely under the bus. I'm speechless.
— Sam Inkersole (@Sam_InkersoleTM) September 1, 2017
David Sullivan is just pure scum. How dare he throw Bilic under the bus like that.
— West Ham Fan Zone (@WHUFCFZ) September 1, 2017
Bilic has been well and truly thrown under the bus. Yes I want him gone but not by the owners lying
— West Ham 1895 (@Brady_out) September 1, 2017
Sullivan is trying to get Bilic to walk.
— West Ham Central (@WestHam_Central) September 1, 2017
It certainly does seem like Bilic's days are numbered, and reports that Rafa Benitez is being lined up as his replacement geathered pace by the Spanish gaffer essentially saying he would listen to offers after Mike Ashley twiddled his thumbs at the end of the transfer window.
It remains to be seen whether or not Slaven Bilic survives the international break.
From an Irish point of view, at least not signing a midfielder should see continued game-time for Declan Rice, so that's a plus.
