How Far Can West Ham Go Next Season with New Stadium and New Signings?

While Leicester City have spent the last week celebrating their historic Premier League title win, it would be natural for West Ham United to look upon their story with a healthy dose of jealousy.

The Premier League establishment have all patted Leicester on the head and spoken about their win being good for the game, but the Hammers will know deep down that maybe, just maybe, it could have been them lifting the trophy.

There are distinct similarities between the two clubs this season; an inspirational new foreign manager arrives in the summer, an unheralded purchase from France emerges as one of the players of the season, and together they deliver unexpected success to haul them up from the depths of the table.

Of course, the major difference is Leicester are now the champions and have collected 21 points more than West Ham, who currently sit seventh in the table.

But the east London club should be proud of what has been their most successful season in the Premier League; they already have their highest points total since the league was rebranded in 1992, and with two games still remaining.

Their 4-1 defeat to Swansea City on Saturday should not tarnish this achievement, as but for Leicester and Tottenham Hotspur’s own unlikely transformations, West Ham would have been the story of the season.

Rather than dwell on what might have been, Slaven Bilic’s side should begin to look forward to what they can now achieve in this fast-changing football landscape.

The timing could not be better, too, as they prepare to leave Upton Park and move in to their new home at the converted Olympic Stadium.

West Ham know their timely surge in form and imminent move across east London have presented them with a rare opportunity to quickly evolve from a constantly …

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