We acknowledge that it is after all the 'silly season', but there is silly and then there's just plain stupid, the latter being a category that the Martin Braithwaite from Barcelona to West Ham 'story' falls in. The 'fantasy' story, if you are representing Barcelona, or the nightmare if you are a Hammers fan, is being continuously and erroneously reported and re reported by a steady stream of media outlets that should know better.

With only three weeks remaining before the first home fixture of the Barclays Premier League, the 8PM evening kick off against Leicester City on the 23rd of August, fans still don't know where and in what form their season tickets are. London rivals Chelsea have already sent out their season tickets in the same format as the last real season, ie: a credit card type of ticket, the same as was used by West Ham since the move to the London Stadium.

Hammers lack of activity in the transfer market has gone from being a 'matter of some concern', into a full blown crisis! All the usual guff that emanates from the Hammers hierarchy is there in all but 'physical presence'. The board have realised that they can spew out their bovine excretia from a distance, preferably using a Patsy to verbalise their 'vision'.

West Ham take on newly promoted Brentford at their new 17,500 seat Community Stadium this afternoon for a 3pm kick off friendly, the game being part of the deal that saw Said Benrahma join David Moyes's men last season. Some fans will question the wisdom of playing a Barclays Premier League rival so soon before the beginning of the next campaign.

HAMMERS FANS HAVE HIGH HOPES AHEAD OF THE NEW PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON

West Ham fans were asked how hopeful they are for the season ahead
On a scale of 1-10 (1 being not optimistic at all, 10 being very optimistic) Hammers fans scored a 7.5, placing them 7th in the table

In case Hammers fans have forgotten, just around the time the 'biscuit barons' from Iceland took over the club with promises that were impossible to fulfil, there was another buyer eager to negotiate for the club in addition to the MSI consortium that Kia Joorabchian represented.

According to a report in spanish media outlet Sport, the Denmark International Martin Braithwaite is very close to joining the Irons, one of their reporters Albert Roge has claimed that there is a “very advanced agreement” Via his personal Twitter account. Well, according to our twitter account that 'report' is stupid, a load of old cobblers, in Roge's language: una tonteria, un montón de zapateros viejos!

With just over 16 days to go before Hammers opening Barclays Premier League fixture against Newcastle up at St James', things finally look to be falling in place for what will be a turnkey season for the club. Given the welt of negativity surrounding the club's lack of activity in the transfer market, it is reassuring to see that David Moyes is proceeding with the pursuit of HIS transfer targets and NOT necessarily those of majority share holder David Sullivan.

West Ham have completed the loan signing of outstanding 28 year old goal keeper Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain. The France international joins the Irons on an initial season-long deal, with the option to make the transfer permanent in the summer of 2022. Areola has made more than 250 career appearances for PSG and Real Madrid, winning four Ligue 1 and La Liga titles.

Jordan Hugill..... On the 31st of January 2018, Hugill completed a deadline day move to West Ham United in a reported £10 million transfer deal, becoming manager David Moyes' second signing at the London Stadium after Robert Snodgrass. However he was restricted to a handful of brief cameos in the second half of the 2017–18 season, playing just 22 minutes in total!