West Ham United have been relegated from the Premier League, a fall from grace that many believe could have been avoided with better planning. The club's largest shareholder, David Sullivan, faces intense criticism for a series of missteps that have left the Hammers facing life in the Championship.
The decline has been years in the making, with warning signs ignored since 2022. Despite winning the Conference League in 2023, the club failed to build on that success. The £105m received from Arsenal for Declan Rice was largely wasted, with poor recruitment under technical director Tim Steidten, who departed in February 2025.
Key signings such as Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Maximilian Kilman failed to strengthen the defence, while Niclas Füllkrug, signed despite injury concerns, scored just three league goals before being loaned to Milan. The sale of Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham added to the sense of decline.
Managerial instability compounded the problems. Julen Lopetegui was sacked after six months, and his replacement, Graham Potter, struggled to address a quiet dressing room. Recruitment under Potter focused on a ball-playing goalkeeper and an inexperienced left-back, while midfield reinforcements were neglected.
Desperate attempts to appoint a new manager eventually led to Nuno Espírito Santo, but his arrival came too late. Concerns over profitability and sustainability regulations loom large, and without a change in ownership, West Ham's future appears bleak. The club's fate echoes Leicester City's recent downfall, and many supporters believe nothing will change until Sullivan sells up.
