With the first team beginning the season under Graham Potter's tutelage, the Hammers quickly turned to Nuno Espirito Santo after what was an underwhelming start to the campaign.
West Ham or Spurs to go down?
Unfortunately for the Portuguese, things haven't really gone the way he or the club would like, notwithstanding that the East Londoners have at least got themselves in the position now where their immediate Premier League future is in their own hands.
That wasn't always the case, but if they win all their remaining games, or at the very least match Tottenham's results, then it will be the Lilywhites that drop down into England's second tier for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Games against Brentford, title-chasing Arsenal, Newcastle and Leeds United are therefore amongst the most important to be played in the club's recent history.
With only one league win in 2026, Spurs' fixtures against Aston Villa, Leeds, Chelsea and Everton also take on incredible significance.
Diouf is a Hammers success story
Both sides need their players to stand up and be counted, with one of West Ham's success stories this season, El Hadji Malick Diouf, likely to do just that.
The left-back has been a glimmer of hope in a season in which many of his colleagues have toiled.
Signed for just £19m from Slavia Prague, the 21-year-old has proved to be something of a bargain, with his supplementary presence in attack being one of the reasons why there has been a small improvement in recent results.
His efforts haven't gone unnoticed elsewhere, either, and whether or not the Hammers stay up, it's believed that Manchester United are targeting the player to give Luke Shaw some competition in the left-back slot.
£104.2m loss could hit West Ham hard
Clearly, if the Irons drop down into the Championship, United's hand is strengthened, not least because the East Londoners posted a £104.2m loss for the year ending May 31st, 2025, and will need to recover funds through player sales.
So, what would the Red Devils be getting for their money if they were successful in such a pursuit?
For a start, unlike Shaw, Diouf's availability hasn't been in question. In the 30 games he's played in all competitions in 25/26, he's started in 28 of them, and has totalled 2,562 minutes on the pitch.
Five assists are a decent return from a left-back in the league, who also has a reasonable 18.2% shot accuracy and has created 23 chances so far in the current campaign.
Tackle success must improve
Of the total of 884 passes he's made this season in the Premier League, 652 have found their target, giving Diouf a pass accuracy of around 74%, but as high as 81.5% for those made in his own half.
107 ball recoveries, 29 interceptions, 70 headed clearances and a 52% success rate in terms of winning one-on-one duels with a direct opponent hints at a combative nature that Diouf is only going to hone the longer he stays in England.
Perhaps the one area he could do with improving upon is his tackling. So far in 25/26, he's made 40 in all competitions, winning 19 of them and losing 21, for a success rate of 47.5%.
Though not awful, that might not be good enough for a team destined to be back in the Champions League in 2026/27.
Diouf has exceeded expectations
Lest we forget Diouf's age, of course, and his experience. Moving to West Ham was, with respect, a step up in class, and it's always going to take a young player time to adapt to new surroundings.
That he has seemed more than at home for the most part speaks of a player willing to take on board the advice and expertise of his peers and use that to benefit him and the way in which he plays his natural game.
Not many players can wear the Man United shirt and not feel the weight of what it means to do so, and if, ultimately, Diouf's new home is the 'Theatre of Dreams', then there's a strong likelihood he'll need to learn to adapt even more than he has already.
The Hammer of the Year trophy is always given at the end of the season to the player who has not only impressed with the level of their performances, but has consistently been able to exceed expectations.
After a shaky start at the London Stadium, Diouf has done just that, and if he were not to be awarded the gong, he's likely to come mighty close to doing so.
Time will tell, though, if his biggest reward will actually be helping to keep his side in the top division for another season.
