The mind-blowing XI West Ham could have now if they’d listened to David Moyes
West Ham United are in the middle of yet another crisis – & it could’ve all been so different if they’d properly backed David Moyes.
Moyes left the Hammers in 2024 after two successful spells in east London. While the wily Scot is performing well back at Everton, his old club are mired in the relegation zone.
With West Ham having just sacked another manager, perhaps they should’ve listened to their former boss and bought these players instead.
GK: Alphonse Areola
The combination of Lukasz Fabianski and Areola served West Ham well in the Moyes era.
With the former now 40, we imagine Areola would’ve remained as the first choice if the Scot had stayed at the London Stadium.
RB: Aaron Hickey
Vladimir Coufal was the Hammers’ main right-back under Moyes, making 155 appearances for the club during that time.
But Coufal’s legs were starting to go towards the end of the Moyes era, so it’s likely the Czech would’ve been replaced even if there was no change of management.
The Hammers were linked with Hickey back in 2022 during the full-back’s Bologna days, but were beaten to his signature by Brentford.
If Moyes and the club hierarchy had pushed harder, West Ham would’ve signed an excellent defender in his early 20s.
CB: Nikola Milenkovic
West Ham have missed the defensive solidity offered by Craig Dawson, Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma during the Moyes years.
None of the trio were perfect, but all were whole-hearted defenders who never shied away from a challenge.
Milenkovic would have been an ideal addition if a reported move in the summer of 2021 had come to fruition, but the Hammers were unable to agree on a fee with Fiorentina.
The Serbia international is now thriving at Nottingham Forest, while West Ham threaten to concede from every single set-piece.
CB: James Tarkowski
Moyes attempted to sign Tarkowski twice during the defender’s Burnley days; a £30million bid was rejected in 2020 and another approach was turned down in 2022.
We’re pleased the Scot now gets the work with Tarkowski at Everton. But West Ham fans will think about what might have been next time Max Kilman gets bullied off the ball.
LB: El-Hadji Malick Diouf
Hammers stalwart Aaron Cresswell was Moyes’ main left-back, while Emerson Palmieri also contributed well during his time in east London.
Both have now left the club and Moyes would’ve recognised that younger legs were required.
No stranger to shopping at Slavia Prague (Soucek, Coufal), we reckon he would’ve swooped for Diouf just as West Ham did in real life this summer.
CM: Joao Palhinha
After winning the Europa Conference League in 2023, Moyes was at his zenith and had £100million from the sale of Declan Rice ready to reinvest in his midfield.
While he eventually went for James Ward-Prowse, a short-sighted signing if there ever was one, his initial target was Fulham and Portugal anchor Palhinha.
An offer of £45million was rejected, but perhaps the club’s owners should have pushed harder for one of Europe’s best holding midfielders?
CM: Amadou Onana
Another target from the summer of 2023, Moyes wanted to sign Onana from Everton and was prepared to offer £50million for the dynamic midfielder.
Blessed with attributes that other Hammers midfielders lack, it would have been a game-changing signing in an increasingly physical Premier League.
Instead, Onana moved to Aston Villa one year later. A missed opportunity.
RW: Jarrod Bowen
Signed from Hull in January 2020, Bowen has become a club legend at West Ham and scored the winner in the Conference League final against Fiorentina.
During the shambolic post-Moyes era, the forward has maintained his consistency and scored 14 goals in 2024-25.
He walks into his team.
CAM: Scott McTominay
Forget Naples, Scudettos and Serie A Player of the Year awards – McTominay was close to joining West Ham a year before his move to Italy.
The midfielder was subject to a £30million bid from the Hammers after their European success, but the offer was rejected by Manchester United.
Twelve months later, with PSR biting, United sold the Scotland international to Napoli. The rest is history.
LW: Lucas Paqueta
Unlike several managers who have indulged Paqueta as a central attacking option, Moyes realised the Brazilian had the most impact from the left flank.
Paqueta provided creativity and ingenuity in the Hammers’ attack and his purple patch during 2023 triggered an £85million offer from Manchester City.
The now-disproven betting offences put paid to that, but Moyes testified in Paqueta’s defence at the hearing. He’d have stuck with the player in his team too.
ST: Viktor Gyokeres
With Gianluca Scamacca sold after one season and the ageing Michail Antonio entering his West Ham swansong, there was no doubt the Hammers needed to sign a striker in 2023.
Gyokeres, then at Coventry City, was one of the names on a list of players sporting director Tim Steidten compiled for Moyes to consider.
Eventually, a move for the Sweden international was discounted and he moved to Sporting Lisbon instead.
If only either of the pair had pushed harder – Gyokeres had made a mixed start to life at Arsenal, but would’ve been perfect for an upwardly mobile Moyes team.
READ NEXT: The shocking Premier League table since West Ham appointed Graham Potter
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name West Ham’s 20 most expensive signings in history?