West Ham chief: Bilic turned down signing Sanches, Krychowiak

West Ham United vice-chairman David Sullivan shoved his manager Slaven Bilic firmly in the firing line if the club's midfield continues to underwhelm this season.

Sullivan, always a willing voice when microphones are thrust in front of his face, claimed that Bayern Munich's Renato Sanches and Paris Saint-Germain's Grzegorz Krychowiak were offered to the club, but Bilic refused to take them to the London Stadium.

West Ham is instead set to face both players in September, when Krychowiak's temporary side West Bromwich Albion hosts the Irons on Sept. 16, and Swansea City loanee Sanches travels to Stratford on Sept. 30.

"Grzegorz Krychowiak and Renato Sanches were both offered to the manager before their switches elsewhere, but he told us that he is happy with the squad he has," Sullivan told Sky Sports' Rory O'Callaghan.

"As a Board we are behind Slaven, and he believes he has the tools to turn around our form and rectify our disappointing start to the season."

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Bilic's refusal to bring either player to West Ham suggests that he's content with two of either Mark Noble, Pedro Obiang, and teenager Declan Rice fortifying his midfield. His team has conceded 10 goals in three losses to begin the campaign, and still looks bereft of a gameplan 27 months into Bilic's reign.

Noble is emblematic of West Ham's steady decline. Formerly a stoic leader in the middle of the park, the local lad produced 52 percent less tackles and 54 percent less interceptions last season than he did in the 2015-16 term. The midfield has been lacking life and bite, leaving some West Ham supporters at a loss to explain how Swansea and West Brom went untroubled in their respective nabs of Sanches and Krychowiak.

West Ham will look to rectify the tetchy London Stadium atmosphere when impressive newcomer Huddersfield Town visits on Sept. 11.