OPINION
While Premier League sides might have been throwing money around left, right and centre in the recent transfer windows, they will all still be working off some sort of budget – and the way West Ham have been spending this summer, they may be pushing the upper limits of their finances.
The Hammers have wasted no time whatsoever in giving Manuel Pellegrini the desired backing in the market as he heads into his first campaign in charge of the Hammers, with seven new recruits already through the door at the London Stadium, the most recent being the record capture of Felipe Anderson.
The Brazilian forward has joined from Serie A outfit Lazio, and while the club have not officially revealed the terms of his capture, the money that the Irons have reportedly splashed out shows they mean serious business.
Reliable West Ham news site Claret and Hugh claim that £46million has been spent on transfer fees, add-ons and agent bonuses alone, but while that is a hefty price, it can be offset by potential sales and revenue.
The real stunning revelation surrounds his wage, with the 25-year-old winger reportedly picking up up to £140,000-a-week, and with the four-year deal he has penned, that makes it a stunning £28.8million that he could well pick up while in east London.
That sort of money being spent must signal the exit of some fringe figures from the Hammers squad, for Anderson will now be taking up a huge chunk of the wage budget with a wage that is reportedly on par with top earner Javier Hernandez.
If not, the Hammers will struggle to make any more signings between now and the end of the summer – and fans will not want to see their spending come to an end any time soon.