David Moyes has offered a reminder of West Ham's new financial clout as they prepare to face moneybags Newcastle United, saying the Hammers are no longer a club who “need money”.
West Ham received new backing in the shape of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, who invested up to £200million in November, but Moyes is happy to try and keep their financial power under his hat for as long as possible.
“I think we don't want to be out there flashing our nice handbag,” Moyes said. “We're going to walk about with a fake one and let people think that way.”
West Ham's investment might not be on the level of Newcastle's new Saudi Arabian owners, but it has made a material difference to how they operate.
The funds brought in by Kretinsky give West Ham more room to manoeuvre in the transfer market and means they will not need to sell players to invest heavily during the summer - with Chelsea and Manchester United both keen on captain Declan Rice.
With money there to invest, Moyes is hoping for more growth this summer and sees the next transfer window as a vital moment to continue building the club.
Asked about Kretinsky’s involvement since November, Moyes said: “I'll tell you what it does mean, we're not a club that needs money.
“People can talk whatever they like but we're not a club that needs money, so from that point of view we are in a much better position than we have ever been in in years gone by and I see there being another growth period here, I really do. I think there is a chance to go again.
“I don't think we can grow as fast as we have just grown but even if it gets down to five per cent better and do that little bit. We're not a football club that needs money anymore.”
West Ham failed to add any new faces in January despite making club record offers for the likes of Darwin Nunez and Raphinha, and Moyes is keen not to see the same thing happen in the summer.
“The board are really enjoying the period they're in, like the manager is,” said Moyes.
“We want to build on it. We want to make it better. We've grown really quickly, really fast in two years. The next bit is to get another good layer of foundations in so we can try to build for, not just the next six months, the next year, but we can try to get another layer of foundations in which gives us a chance to be successful for the next two or three years going forward.
“That's where I'm seeing it. The next transfer window would be important for me to get that next layer of foundations down for it.”
