Over the last couple of months, West Ham United have undergone a complete transformation on and off the pitch to help push the club further up the Premier League table.
The hierarchy decided against keeping David Moyes, opting to employ Julen Lopetegui and handing the Spaniard a bumper transfer budget to aid him in his attempts during his first season at the helm.
He forked out over £100m on various new additions, but it’s been a rocky start to the 58-year-old’s reign at the London Stadium.
The Hammers have only won one of the first six league outings of the new season, whilst also crashing out of the Carabao Cup after a second successive 5-1 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.
One player in particular has failed to make a huge impact during the 2024/25 season, despite making himself a key player for the club over the past few years.
Michail Antonio’s stats for West Ham
Jamaica international Michail Antonio has cemented himself in West Ham history after his near 10-year spell in East London following his transfer from Nottingham Forest back in the summer of 2015.
Whilst he struggled to make an immediate impact, often finding himself as a substitute or featuring in unnatural roles such as at right-back, he would eventually make a huge impact on the club.
The now 34-year-old has become a hit with the supporters over recent years, registering 67 goals in the Premier League – the most of any player in the club’s history.
Michail Antonio
67
Paulo Di Canio
50
Mark Noble
47
Jarrod Bowen
44
Carlton Cole
41
Antonio has transformed his game to operate as a target option for Lopetegui’s side, but he’s yet to find himself on the scoresheet during the new campaign – with his last goal for the Hammers coming way back in April.
Due to an injury to new striker Niclas Füllkrug, he’s seen himself once again be the club’s talisman, but their disappointing start to the new campaign has seen him fail to find the back of the net under the Spaniard.
The club had an opportunity to land one talent who eventually completed another move to the Premier League, which has seen his market value soar as a result of his transfer.
The man who West Ham could’ve signed in 2022
During the January transfer window back in 2022, West Ham were on the hunt for a new striker in an attempt to bolster their forward line under former boss Moyes.
They targeted numerous players in the process, even placing a bid to land Benfica attacker Darwin Núñez, but a move for the Uruguayan never materialised before the closure of the window, with Antonio remaining as the club’s only senior option.
He would instead join Liverpool in a £85m deal just a couple of months later, seeing the Hammers miss out on a deal for the 25-year-old, with Nunez still trying to find his best form after his big-money move.
Nunez has scored 34 goals in his 102 appearances for the Reds, showcasing his ability to find the back of the net, potentially seeing an ounce of regret for the Hammers in missing out on the talent.
The former Benfica ace, who is now valued at as much as €109m (£90m), according to CIES Football Observatory, has already found the back of the net on one occasion this season – outscoring Antonio, whilst also providing that younger alternative the club have been searching for.
Whilst he’s a frustrating player given his inconsistent form, Liverpool’s “agent of chaos” – as hailed by journalist Theo Squires – would undoubtedly provide needed quality for the West Ham forward line and aid Lopetegui in his first season in charge.
However, given the club’s failure to land him a couple of years ago, Nunez will always remain as one who got away from the Hammers.
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