West Ham are under pressure to improve their ranks this summer after a disappointing campaign but amidst the flurry of speculation as to who may be brought in by Slaven Bilic, the Hammers need to ensure the right outgoing deals are approved.

The East London side went heavy in the market last summer to sign a wealth of faces to bolster their squad for the Europa League, with the Hammers then exiting the European competition in the qualifying stages and leaving themselves with a large squad.

No European football is set to be played at the London Stadium this season and Bilic needs to trim his squad significantly, which will crucially raise transfer funds and make wages available for any significant incoming deals the Croatia boss approves.

Loanees Jonathan Calleri and Gokhan Tore have already left East London following their disappointing spells with the Hammers, which makes wages available for new signings, and sales could now be on the cards.

Bilic’s side are reportedly ready to approve exits for Robert Snodgrass, Jose Fonte and Enner Valencia, amongst others, whilst there has also been reported interest in the likes of Andre Ayew and Pedro Obiang.

The Hammers could consider a sale of Ghanian striker Ayew, particularly if they secure a deal to sign Kelechi Iheanacho from Manchester City, but Obiang is seen as a key figure for Bilic’s side and they’ll fight tooth and nail to keep him at the club.

Significant signings are still needed at West Ham, with the Hammers needing to improve their defensive ranks and secure a top-class striker, and the sale of fringe players will give them more maneuverability on the transfer market.

West Ham need to avoid making a wealth of signings before departures are approved though, as there is the danger that they’ll fail to offload some players and will be left with them taking up spots, and wages, in their first-team squad.

Fortunately the club seem to have a plan of action this summer and the Hammers should be ok as long as they stick to the path laid out in front of them- and wandering off the track could cause them issues for the forthcoming season.

The early signs of West Ham’s summer have been impressive and the Hammers seem to have learned their lesson from last year, which should help them in their fight for better fortune at the London Stadium this season.