West Ham's 15 Most Expensive Signings - Ranked

Despite West Ham's strong end to the 2019/20 season to ensure their Premier League survival, the Hammers didn't exactly give fans a reason to be jumping with joy in the summer transfer window.

It was expected the club would back David Moyes in the transfer market in order to strengthen the squad with some new big-name signings. Instead, they have so far managed to land right-back Vladimir Coufal for the grand total of £5m, as well as recently confirming the ever-so-exciting arrival of...Craig Dawson...on loan.

But fear not Hammers fans, because there may just be one or two reasons to get excited before the close of the domestic window. The club have agreed a fee of around £30m including add-ons with Brentford for Said Benrahma - but just when fans began to sing his praises, it has emerged the deal has stalled.

Nonetheless, the east Londoners are still said to be confident they can conclude a deal for him. Should the deal go through, Benrahma would become one of the club's most expensive signings and here, we have decided to rank the 15 most expensive...

15. Sebastien Haller

Fee: £45m

How have West Ham managed to do it?

Haller - along with his former strike partner Luka Jovic - was one of the most sought after strikers in Europe in the summer of 2019 after netting 20 times and providing a further 12 assists during the 2018/19 campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Hammers decided that they would do whatever it took to sign the Frenchman, eventually parting ways with £45m to make him their club record signing.

Up to this point, it hasn't worked out, however.

Haller has shown flashes of brilliance but hasn't done enough to be deemed worthy of a starting spot. Turning on the style in cup games is good, but the club are looking for much more from their £45m man.

He sits bottom of this list considering his obvious talent and the money the Hammers paid for him.

Success Rating: 3/10

14. Andre Ayew

Fee: £21.7m

Was he a disaster? No, not necessarily.

But was it rather easy to forget he was playing on a number of occasions? Yes, it really was - and for a £22m player, that isn't exactly what the club would have been hoping for.

In fact, perhaps his most notable highlight was his double miss against Liverpool, when the forward somehow managing to miss an open goal twice from practically on the goal line. For a player that was a poacher in front of goal, he didn't exactly cover himself in glory with those misses.

After a very forgettable 12 goals in 50 games, he returned to Swansea.

The biggest success from this deal? West Ham managing to get £18m for him.

Success Rating: 3/10

13. Enner Valencia

Fee: £13.5m

Valencia is another West Ham signing who promised a fair amount during the early stages of his career, before gradually fading away and never really being spoken about again.

The forward formed a strong partnership up front with Diafra Sakho, with the pair both on target on Valencia's debut against Hull.

Valencia's strike in that match was simply outrageous, shifting the ball quickly and firing in from long range. The Ecuadorian also decided to release his inner Cristiano Ronaldo with a stunning free-kick against Bournemouth during his time with the club.

A disappointing spell, but those few moments of sublime quality will live long in the memory of the fans.

Success Rating: 4.5/10

12. Andriy Yarmolenko

Fee: £18m

It wasn't really a surprise to see Yarmolenko linked with a move to the Chinese Super League during the summer, was it?

Since joining in the summer of 2018, he has made 38 appearances for the Hammers and has popped up with a few important goals. But he has never really been able to hold down a starting spot, often struggling to adapt to the pace of the game in England.

Nine goals and five assists is a respectable return for the player, but he seemingly must settle for a squad rotation role. This, however, isn't ideal for someone who is on hefty wages though.

Success Rating: 5/10

11. Felipe Anderson

Fee: £34.2m

Remember when then-West Ham director of football Mario Husillos claimed Anderson was one of the most exciting talents in Europe when the club confirmed the signing of the Brazilian back in the summer of 2018?

And remember when Anderson himself said he was hoping to become a legend at the club?

Well, after a series of impressive displays during his first season, you would have been forgiven for thinking that Anderson may well become a fan favourite for years to come...but things just haven't quite turned out as either the club or the player had hoped.

His talent is clear for all to see, but his performances were too inconsistent and showed a real lack of desire at points as well.

The result of this? Being shipped out on loan to Porto for the season.

Success Rating: 5/10

10. Javier Hernandez

Fee: £16m

West Ham appeared to be making a very shrewd signing in Hernandez - even if he was perhaps past his best.

Hernandez had built his career around being a poacher, someone who may not necessarily score too many 'worldies', but definitely knew where the goal is. But a number of factors contributed towards his inability to fully showcase his talent in front of goal on a regular basis.

The need to accommodate for Andy Carroll played a big part, but despite this, he still managed to chip in with 17 goals and worked tirelessly no matter where he played.

Success Rating: 5.5/10

9. Andy Carroll

Fee: 15.75m

During Carroll's seven-year stay in east London, he made just 142 appearances in all competitions. He also suffered 12 injuries that ruled him out for four games or longer - not to mention the minor injuries as well.

But despite his simply woeful injury record, Carroll did produce some fairly unforgettable moments. Yes, we are talking about that bicycle kick against Crystal Palace. It was genuinely sublime.

There will always be a case of 'what could have been' with regards to Carroll. But what was clear was that the Hammers held on to him for far too long.

Success Rating: 5.5/10

8. Pablo Fornals

Fee: £24m

There was much optimism when the club signed Fornals in the summer of 2019, with many expecting their new man to hit the ground running and deliver big things.

But this was unrealistic.

Was he spectacular in his first season? No - steady would be a more appropriate word. The player needed time to adjust but despite this, his work rate could never be questioned.

And fans are now beginning to see the best of Fornals on a regular basis, with the Spaniard registering one goal and two assists in his side's first four Premier League games.

Moyes has been rewarded for placing his trust in him.

Success Rating: 6.5/10

7. Robert Snodgrass

Fee: £10.2m

Over the years, a number of big money arrivals at West Ham have not only failed to deliver, but have also often looked disinterested at points with their heads seemingly elsewhere.

However Snodgrass could never come in for such criticism, constantly battling and fighting for every ball. Indeed, he has set the right example for others to follow with his attitude and application.

Not to mention, his left foot has also caused all sorts of problems in the claret and blue.

A manager's dream squad player.

Success Rating: 7/10

6. Issa Diop

Fee: £22.5m

The Hammers actually went against the typical 'West Ham transfer policy' with the signing of Diop in the summer of 2018. No, they didn't sign an ageing, injury prone defender, instead they had brought in a fairly unknown quantity from a mid-table Toulouse side.

And they didn't hold back either, making him the club record signing at the time after parting ways with £22.5m.

It was a refreshing change of strategy by the club and they have been rewarded for this. The 23-year-old isn't the finished article just yet, but he's continuing to improve and develop. Although he's been targeted by a number of top clubs, east London remains the best place for him.

Success Rating: 7/10

5. Jarrod Bowen

Fee: £19.1m

Bowen has been a breath of fresh air at West Ham.

Joining from Hull City in January 2020, Bowen adapted well to the top flight and continued to grow in confidence throughout the remainder of the campaign.

The 23-year-old quickly established himself as a valuable first team player, and was vital to the Hammers' form at the back end of the 2019/20 campaign.

But he has taken his game to new heights this term.

Now settled and seemingly completely aware of his responsibilities, Bowen is flourishing on the right wing. Sure, he already has three goals in four Premier League games, but it's his overall hunger and desire both with and without the ball which has seen him become such a fan favourite.

Success Rating: 7.5/10

4. Manuel Lanzini

Fee: £10m

Lanzini was an artist in the centre of the park, finding pockets of space and forming an excellent understanding with Dimitri Payet (more on him later). But even when Payet left, the Argentine went on to pick up the Players' Player of the Year award in 2016/17.

However he simply hasn't been able to fully rediscover his best form since his serious injury in 2018.

Success Rating: 7.5/10

3. Marko Arnautovic

Fee: £20.07m

Alright, alright, alright Hammers fans, calm down!

Did we ever say anything about the manner of a player's exit? Just because Arnautovic left the club on a very sour note doesn't take away from his performances during his time in east London.

Arnautovic was once the only name on West Ham fans' lips, but this quickly changed when the spotlight wasn't solely focused on him. Putting his very questionable decisions while at the club to the side, there was a time when Arnautovic was almost unplayable on the pitch, chasing down lost causes and forcing defenders into mistakes.

Oh, and producing phenomenal bits of quality when on the ball as well.

On his day, Arnautovic was world class. But he threw it all away for the sake of a very, very healthy pay day.

Success Rating: 7.5/10

2. Tomas Soucek

Fee: £14.5m

Hammers fan may be sat there thinking 'hold on, number two? That's a bit much, isn't it?'

The reality, however, is Soucek is the type of midfielder West Ham have been crying out for, for far too long now. Initially joining the club on loan, Soucek played a key role in the Hammers' fight for survival in 2019/20.

As well as breaking up play and offering security when out of possession, Soucek has also helped the side play more progressively on the ball, either driving forward at pace or playing passes that break the lines. Oh, and there's also his real eye for goal as well.

Sure, Hammers fans would have wanted some new high-profile signings during the summer, but tying Soucek down permanently was perhaps the best piece of business they could have done.

Success Rating: 8/10

1. Dimitri Payet

Fee: £13.5m

The name Payet brings up bittersweet memories for Hammers fans.

When hearing his name, the immediate emotion and reaction is one of anger and disappointment due to the manner of his exit. Yes, he was only in east London for under two years (and the final weeks were dominated by his desire to leave), but he produced some simply unforgettable moments.

Payet was breathtaking at points, darting through challenges and providing assist after assist. His solo strike against Middlesbrough perfectly highlighted his effortless ability to embarrass defenders, while his free-kicks (notably the one against Manchester United) emphasised his phenomenal technical ability.

He wasn't there for a long time, but the 2015/16 Hammer of the Year was a joy to watch for the majority of his time in east London.

Success Rating: 9/10

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