West Ham have made their first two purchases of the summer transfer window and they have managed to save a bit of money in the process of doing so.
The Hammers have brought in experienced backup goalkeepers Roberto from Espanyol and David Martin from Millwall, both on free transfers to provide competition to number one Lukasz Fabianski. The Pole remains the club's undisputed number one after his Hammer of the Year debut campaign in east London in 2018/19.
A few eyebrows were raised when the Hammers first two signings of the summer were announced and they were both goalkeepers but there is method to to madness from director of football Mario Husillos and manager Manuel Pellegrini.
Football.London understands that the two shot stoppers' combined weekly wage is less than what was commanded by former backup stopper Adrian, with the two new arrivals on £15,000 per week.
Adrian, whose six-year stay in east London will end on June 30 at the expiration of his contract, was on £50,000 per week in east London and was one of three first team players who were announced as being released by the club last month alongside Andy Carroll and Samir Nasri.
The Hammers haven't laid down any cash to sign Roberto or Martin as they were both free agents.
There is an added bonus that Martin is classed as a homegrown player and that offsets the departure of Andy Carroll, with each top flight team needing to have at least eight homegrown players in their squad.
Two keepers were brought in as most Premier League squads like to have three senior keepers on the books. Last season it was only two with Fabianski and Adrian, with youngsters Nathan Trott and Joseph Anang rotating to be the third.
Trott is expected to be allowed to leave on loan to either a Championship or prominent League One club to get some much needed first team experience over the next 12 months, while Anang will resume his role at the Hammers U23s stopper as they look to bounce back from relegation in Premier League 2.
Trott, who is currently away with the England youngsters at the prestigious Toulon Tournament in France, is the natural successor to the number two spot once he gets some first team action under his belt.
Along with Carroll, Nasri and Adrian, the club has sold Edimilson Fernandes to Mainz for £8m and shipped out striker Lucas Perez to Alaves for a little more than £2m as Pellegrini beings his summer overhaul of the squad that finished tenth in the table last season.
The keeper ranks have now been sorted out quickly and efficiently - and cheaply - by Pellegrini and Husillos who have yet to spend any of their £30 m transfer budget, which has already been boosted up to £40.8m thanks to player sales.
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