West Ham’s season suffered another blow this weekend as struggling Hull City secured a victory against the Hammers, which has left the East London side’s campaign edging towards a stuttering finish to the season.

Looking safe from relegation but a long way off the European spots, West Ham’s debut campaign at the London Stadium has certainly not been what many would have hoped- and preparations need to be made for the summer.

Over the weekend, Slaven Bilic was handed the dreaded vote of confidence but, despite the public statement, the question marks over the Croatian’s long-term future in East London continue to flood the back pages.

Bilic enters the final 12 months of his contract this summer and no extension is on the table, despite the board stating in January that he’d be handed a new deal and big names continue to be linked with the West Ham job.

With the season approaching it’s conclusion and the Hammers not really having anything left to fight for, the board has to make a decision on what course of action to take on their manager’s future, otherwise their summer could become affected.

West Ham need major changes this summer if they are to claw their way back into the fight for European football next season, a task that is far from easy as the Hammers will have to compete with the Premier League’s top-six, as well as the likes of Everton, Southampton and West Brom.

With the changes that are required, West Ham cannot afford to rest on their laurels and a swift decision on their manager’s fate is crucial, as it would allow time for the club to prepare for their summer activity.

Whether Bilic stays or not, the board needs to back West Ham in the transfer market to ensure that the right sort of business is done but they cannot do that until a final decision on Bilic’s future is made.

If he is to stay, then Bilic needs to start preparing for his planned summer activity and if he leaves, then the Hammers need to line-up a replacement to ensure a smooth transition occurs at the end of the campaign.

There’s just less than two months remaining on the season so there is still time for the Hammers to make their plans, although they risk further problems if they wait on a final outcome.

A new striker and a rejuvenated defensive line must be a priority this season and the Hammers need to start making their approaches now, otherwise they could end up losing out in the market to sides that have enjoyed a better campaign.