The Off-Topic Trap
Nuno Espirito Santo's decision to remain at West Ham following their relegation from the Premier League is interesting from a football governance perspective, but it carries no direct relevance to Fantasy Premier League strategy. West Ham are no longer a Premier League club. Under FPL's core ruleset, only the 20 current top-flight teams and their players are eligible for selection. Once a club drops out of the Premier League, its squad becomes invisible to FPL managers—regardless of managerial continuity, investment pledges, or promotion ambitions.
Why This Matters for Your Squad Planning
If you currently hold any West Ham players in your FPL squad ahead of the 2024–25 season, you'll need to replace them before Gameweek 1. Assets like Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá, Mohammed Kudus or Alphonse Aréola will generate zero points, even if they dominate the Championship. Their names won't appear in the official FPL player database. This is a hard reset: Championship performance translates to nothing in the FPL ecosystem until West Ham (unlikely) achieve promotion back to the top flight within 12 months, at which point a new squad list would be issued.
For sell-holders sitting on West Ham assets in a "wait and see" position, clarity is essential. Don't waste a transfer slot on nostalgia or optimism about a Championship title run. Liquidate those holdings immediately and redeploy capital toward your 20 eligible Premier League sides.
The Evergreen Principle: Off-Season Squad Refresh
As we approach each new season, the cardinal rule applies: only own players from the Premier League. This extends beyond simple eligibility—it's about fixture density and minutes availability. Championship players, even elite ones, will still earn fewer points than mid-table Premier League equivalents because they play 46 league matches instead of 38, with materially different opponent strength and defensive quality. A 15-goal Championship striker won't outscore a 10-goal PL midfielder whose side faces weaker defences every week.
When building your opening squad for 2024–25, resist any temptation to "bank" on relegated teams bouncing back. The fixture list is structured around current Premier League membership. Championship clubs don't appear in your FPL calendar. If West Ham are promoted in May 2025, a mid-season adjustment might occur—but that's conditional on an unlikely championship win and would likely trigger a chip reset or squad refresh midway through the campaign.
The Strategic Takeaway
Nuno's appointment is a relegation-era story, not an FPL story. Transfer your focus entirely to the 20 clubs that matter: the 2024–25 Premier League sides, their squad depth, summer signings, and tactical adjustments under their respective managers. That's where FPL returns are generated.
If you're scouting West Ham's summer window for potential PL transfer targets—say, a promising young talent they might sell to a top-flight club—that's a different conversation. But West Ham as a fantasy asset? They're dead until proven otherwise.