West Ham look set to continue their summer spending spree under Manuel Pellegrini, following a double injury setback.
The Hammers are set to be without both Andy Carroll and Winston Reid for the first few months of the 2018-19 season after the pair suffered a recurrence of previous injuries during the club’s pre-season training camp in Switzerland.
In defence, West Ham have already signed Issa Diop and Ryan Fredericks, while a deal for Fabian Balbuena is poised to be completed, but the Hammers lack depth through the middle in the final third.
Carroll’s injury woes mean that Jordan Hugill, widely tipped for an exit, could now be forced to remain at the London Stadium as back-up for Javier Hernandez – although it seems Pellegrini intends on dipping into the market once again.
Speaking to the club’s official website, he said:
“We are obviously very sad to hear that Andy and Winston have suffered setbacks. This is a big blow for them and us, but we hope to see them back in action as soon as possible.
“It does mean that we have lost two players in key areas, though, and we’ll continue to work hard with the owners to make further additions to strengthen the playing squad, beyond the five new signings already confirmed.”