How West Ham have achieved feat only two clubs worldwide have managed to do better in 2026

West Ham United had a busy transfer window that included a number of high-profile exits.

Relegation meant many of their top stars had looked for a new challenge elsewhere, while others have remained in E20.

Dropping down to the second tier did limit the type of players the Irons could target, and transfer fees were not as high as they would have been had they stayed up.

That fact has now managed to land the East London club among the top three for 2026's transfer business.

That is significantly down to the money raised from those aforementioned departures, with West Ham recouping more than pretty much every club across the globe.

Despite their relegation, the Hammers have emerged as one of the biggest financial winners of the year.

How much have West Ham made in 2026 in transfers and who is above them?

West Ham saw Crysencio Summerville, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Mateus Fernandes all depart for quite sizeable fees in the summer window.

Those sales have certainly alleviated any financial concerns that may have lingered following relegation.

Despite the sales of their top stars, the Irons are on the push for promotion this season.

And they are looking on their way despite a relatively large positive net spend.

West Ham have sold more than they have purchased in 2026, with only PSG and Chelsea above them in world football.

That is according to the CIES Football Observatory.

The Hammers have a positive net spend of £144million, with Chelsea on £164m and the UEFA Champions League winners on £177m.

How West Ham are setting up for Premier League mainstay

The ability for the Hammers to sell a number of top players and still add enough to their squad for a promotion push will be beneficial should they achieve their goals.

With promotion to the Premier League, the Irons will get a large financial boost, and on top of the money they have made in 2026, that will surely give them a decently sized war chest to remain in the top flight.

Relegation was ultimately a disaster, but Nuno Espirito Santo must keep the Hammers on track for an instant return in order to get the chance of those benefits.

Things are looking up despite a slow start to the 2026-2027 season, with the Irons top of the Championship table.