West Ham wasted £36m on Moyes signing who earned more than Kudus

West Ham spent the best part of £120m last summer, making five new signings, four of which were considered big first-team additions to improve the squad ahead of their 2023/24 campaign, after their UEFA Conference League success.

The best deal of the lot is looking to be Mohammed Kudus, who joined from Ajax for just £38m, making 55 appearances for the club, scoring 16 goals and providing seven assists in 4,204 minutes played.

West Ham also spent £19m on central defender Konstantinos Mavropanos from Stuttgart, who made 33 appearances for the Hammers last season, scoring once, and totalling 2,706 minutes played.

But to replace Declan Rice, the Hammers made a few signings, with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse joining the club, one of which is still there, and one of which is now already out on loan elsewhere.

It’s safe to say of all those signings, it is Kudus who has enjoyed a far better year…

Mohammed Kudus’ time at West Ham

Kudus made 45 appearances in his first campaign for West Ham, scoring 14 goals, providing six assists, and totalling 3,511 minutes played.

The 24-year-old’s ability to drive with the ball, carry the team forward, create chances for himself and others, and unleash shots from a variety of zones, makes him an excellent addition for the Hammers.

This season has started in slower fashion for Kudus, scoring just two goals in his ten appearances, as West Ham have struggled to get going under new manager, Julen Lopetegui.

The Ghana international, who is currently earning £90k-per-week, will also now serve a three-match ban, after his red card against Tottenham at the weekend. But another player on West Ham’s books was also sent off a few weeks ago, and he is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest.

Comparatively, he has not really earned the wage he’s been taking home.