With every new face we welcome to the London Stadium, we bid farewell to another, and this summer has been no different with some cult figures leaving east London for pastures new.
Manuel Pellegrini has set out his stool this summer by shifting the deadwood and bringing in a handful of young and hungry players into the squad.
It has been a very unsurprising window in many ways with players you’d expect to leave exiting the giant double glass doors at the London Stadium in Stratford.
Andy Carroll, Adrian and Samir Nasri were the noticeable ‘big name’ players to exit the club on a free transfer this summer after their contracts ran out in June.
Carroll and Adrian were both cult heroes in their own right. While Nasri enjoyed a short stint in Claret and Blue resurrecting his faltering career following his doping ban.
The Spanish stopper joined the club on a free in the summer of 2013 and quickly becoming the Hammers number one, his passion and exuberant characteristics quickly won the hearts of the West Ham faithful.
Known best for his sharp shot stopping the former Real Betis man ironically enjoyed his finest hour using his feet rather than his hands.
Following a 2-2 draw in the third round of the FA Cup against Everton in 2015, a seemingly endless penalty shootout was finished in typically sassy fashion when the Spaniard whipped off his gloves threw them to the floor and promptly smashed the ball into the bottom corner to seal a 9-8 shootout success to send Upton Park into a frenzy.
The 32-year-old is yet to find a club, but you would think a La Liga club could use his services, it would be a real shame to see such a club legend see his career stagnate after being such a perfect professional during his time in the east end.
Andy Carroll has finally seen his injury-plagued career in Claret and Blue come to an end, the big Geordie front man joined permanently following a relatively successful loan spell in 2012 following the Hammers promotion the season before.
The 30-year-old’s seven years at the club only saw the big striker play 126-games during his frustrating time at the club.
He will perhaps be most remembered for producing the first genuine ‘moment’ at the London Stadium when he shocked the Hammers faithful by producing a rocket of a bicycle kick into the top corner in the Irons’ first year in Stratford to help the club to a success over Crystal Palace.
I will never forget the genuine surprise as the ball rippled into the net, the gasp as everyone watched the replay on the big screen will live me for a long time and it was the first time that the ground felt like ‘home’ as that moment seems to lift the entire stadium and the atmosphere simply sky rocketed.
It is widely expected that the big man will re-join his boyhood club Newcastle before the season kicks off.
Samir Nasri has linked up with his former Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht.
The Frenchman’s career started so positively with a decent display against Birmingham in the FA Cup before starring against Arsenal in the league leaving the Hammers faithful excited about what he could offer long term.
His West Ham career somewhat failed to live up to that hype though with niggling injuries keeping him out the side for much of the rest of the season.
The 32-year-old’s golden moments in the east end came in that Arsenal game as he teed up Declan Rice for his first senior goal for the club as the Irons secured a 1-0 win over the Gunners.
Another man to leave on a free is the lesser known Moses Makasi who spent his Hammers career flittering around the lower leagues out on loan.
He enjoyed a good spell at Plymouth, however his first team opportunities at West Ham have been limited despite being hyped as future first teamer.
He has failed to live up to his potential thus far, hopefully he can find a new club and kick on and show that the excitement of his ability by those who regularly watch youth football were justified.
Perhaps the least surprising departure is that of Marko Arnautovic, the Austrian has been kicking up a fuss about wanting to leave the club ever since his brother Daniel whispered sweet nothings in his ear about a wheelbarrow full of cash in China.
The former Hammers’ frontman joined from Stoke with something of a bad boy reputation and he has lived up to that, sometimes using his attitude to good effect but sadly his departure almost seemed inevitable the moment it came out in the press of potential interest from China in January.
His golden moments, unfortunately for Mark Hughes, seemed to always come against the Welshman’s clubs.
First against Stoke when he and Lanzini linked up with devastating effect to ease the Irons to an emphatic win. Secondly, he helped the Irons to a crucial relegation six-point win against Southampton, where the Austrian bagged a brace including a stupendous volley.
Lucas Perez was next out the door as the Spaniard’s one season at the London Stadium came to an end.
He joined from Arsenal on the cheap and struggled to break into the first team, his main moment in Claret and Blue came as he came off the bench to bag a brace against Cardiff to help the Hammers to a win to silence Neil Warnock.
After spending last season out on loan at Fiorentina, Switzerland international Edimilson Fernandes has now permanently left the club to join FSC Mainz.
Out of all the players to leave I feel this is the one we may live to regret. Every time I’ve seen him play, I have been impressive and with the Irons seemingly a defensive midfielder short, his departure can only be deemed a short sighted in my humble opinion.
Still of a good age, he still offers a lot, but his career in the east end was seemingly not meant to be.
His golden moment came in a League Cup tie against Chelsea as he fired a low drive into the bottom corner as the Hammers defeated the Blues 2-1.
Marcus Browne has also left the club, the young attacking midfield starred out on loan with Oxford but his time with club has come to an end after failing to break into the team despite high hopes within the club. He is a player to keep your eye on at Middlesbrough.
Lastly, Pedro Obiang. The Spaniard turned himself into a cult hero with a rasping shot into the top corner at Wembley as the Irons drew 1-1 against Spurs.
Everyone within the club knew he wanted to return to Italy, but his professionalism and character can only be praised, when you compare his attitude to that of a certain Austrian it makes you realise what a quality bloke Pedro was.
Now back in Italy, I can only wish Pedro the very best of luck for the rest of his career.
Another year, another year without Bubbles for Jordan Hugill, the former Preston man has been farmed out on loan to QPR.
In what can only be described as a truly bizarre signing by David Moyes, the big forward will look to impress in west London as he looks to force his way into the reckoning next season at the London Stadium.
Come on Pellers give Jordan a chance to walk out amongst all those bubbles at some point.
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