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It has been a good summer for West Ham fans as they have secured deals for four of their top targets.

Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez have all become Hammers on a permanent basis in this transfer window, while Manchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart has joined on a season-long loan.

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan appeared on talkSPORT to discuss the summer's transfer activity with Jim White and Tony Cottee.

Here is a full transcript of everything they said.

Jim White (JW): How are you cracking these deals?

David Sullivan (DS): "We've been working very, very long and very hard on them. Eight days ago we had one deal in the bag which was Mr Zabaleta, which I still think is a fantastic signing. We've now happened to pull three together in a week. These deals take forever and they are getting harder and harder.

"This is the hardest window I've come across with the demands of the players, demands of the clubs and valuations. I think we're all holding our mouths open and can't believe some of the things that are going on, and in the middle of that we're trying to do business.

"We've had a policy this year up to now to buy players for now, instead of tomorrow. We made a decision with the manager in the summer to buy players for positions that we needed that we thought could deliver straight away. Players that are proven in the Premier League, players that have been here before and of an age where they are not bought for tomorrow, but for today. Long-term it's not a great strategy, but short-term it certainly is.

"We hopefully may still buy one or two young players, one or two investments for the future and rejuggle the pack a bit more. All the time we are trying to do what is best for the club."

(Image: West Ham United FC)

JW: Hernandez is a great deal that you've managed to get across the line

DS: "I think he is potentially the best player who has ever come to the club. In recent years, he is probably the best proven goalscorer we have signed since we have been at the club. He's done it in the Premier League with Manchester United. His goalscoring was a goal every two-and-a-half games at United, so that's a pretty good record.

"He's the most lovely, lovely person. He's really looking forward to it. We were lucky he only had a year left on his contract with his club and that allows you to negotiate a deal. We tried very hard to get him two years ago but unfortunately he chose the German club ahead of us.

"It's a deal that has been going on all summer. People have asked why aren't we signing anybody, well do you sign him for €20million three weeks ago or €18million two weeks later?

"It's a difficult one because we're not a bottomless pit. We still have to balance the books and we still have £100million of debt. We're trying to buy the best value we can for the club. Whether they turn out good buys only time will tell. We are very optimistic of the four we have signed and we believe all four can make a huge difference."

JW: Does the fact Hernandez is a decent guy come into the equation all the more after your experience with Dimitri Payet?

DS: "I think we knew Dimitri was flawed and that's why we got him for £10-12million. It was a fantastic buy but we knew we had bought a flawed individual. We knew it was an individual that could go on strike given he had done it before. That's why he never reached his full potential as a player and why big clubs have steered clear of him.

"I've got to say he was a wonderful servant for the club and he gave us 18 wonderful months, particularly the first 12 months. We didn't want to sell him but we got two-and-a-half times what we paid for him. You've got to say it was good business. It was not what we wanted, but for a club like West Ham we wouldn't have sold him unless we had to.

"We had meeting after meeting with him as he wanted out. The manager also wanted him out as he didn't want an unhappy camp. I would have made him stick it out for six months and given him a hard time, but when the manager says it is unsettling the whole camp you have to support the manager."

Tony Cottee (TC): Was there more pressure on you this year given last year's signings?

DS: "It was a lot of pressure. There's a couple of players we signed last year who will come good for the club. I think Arthur Masuaku and Edimilson Fernandes will come good. There both players that cost about £5million each and I think they'll turn out to be very good buys for the club.

"We signed two strikers on loan with an option to buy them as we had doubts about them. It was beyond our belief how, not say how bad they both were, Calleri worked his socks off but couldn't score, whereas Zaza looks like he was totally disinterested. Everyone you speak to in Italy asks how he failed in England because he is a good player.

"This is why this year we opted to sign players proven in England. We couldn't have a bad window like last year. Nothing we signed last year really came off, but we've two for the future in Arthur and Edimilson. They will be both fantastic players in due course."

JW: Are you confident that Slaven Bilic is the man to get you in the top seven?

DS: "You need a bit of luck with injuries and we've had no luck with injuries. At the moment Mr Sakho is 100% good and that will make a huge difference to the season. The manager is very good but he needs a bit of luck with injuries, results and refereeing decisions.

"It's very tough to get into the top seven and Everton have spent a fortune. The top four have also spent, such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City. We've had the United manager building us up because I think he wants us to say we are playing a cup team in our first game because he thinks we are going to win the title. After Leicester it is possible.

"I realise supporters are cautious but we start the season in three trophies and our ambition is to win those trophies. I know it is highly unlikely we would do that, but one of those trophies would please the board. You have to think you can win anything, and on our day we can give anyone a hard game. We beat Tottenham at the end of last season, who had won 13 games in a row other than the defeat to us. They were at full strength and trying to compete with Chelsea, and we beat them fair and square at the London Stadium."

(Image: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images)

JW: Do you have to go into this season believing you can win the Premier League.

DS: "Believing with a question mark! Leicester was something we all though it couldn't happen, but Leicester showed it can happen. I'd settle to win a cup and I'd love to go to Wembley and win a cup.

"In the League Cup last year we beat Chelsea at home and then got Man United away in the next round. We're not going to win anything with draws like that. Then we got Man City in the third round of the FA Cup, while Arsenal got non-league teams like Lincoln City. We were unlucky with the draw. We get more away draws and Arsenal seem to get more home draws than anyone else. We are due an easy cup draw!"

JW: Hernandez is the 33rd striker you've signed since January 2010

DS: "That list contains a lot of players that we took on six-month loans. It's a very unkind list."

JW: These players have got to give you a better return now

DS: "As an example, we took Mido, when he was virtually washed up, as a punt. We paid £1,000 a week in wages and £5,000 to start. It was a long shot but at £1,000 a week we thought he was worth it. Normally you can't tell people about the figures, but it was seven or eight years ago. To this day, if I could sign a player like Mido for £1,000 a week for half a season, with his track record, I would take a chance.

"We've had some disasters. Benni McCarthy was probably the worst one in what he cost us. He should have been rejected on his medical as he was so overweight when he arrived, but we needed him to deliver immediately."

JW: Would you consider Jack Wilshere?

DS: "I can't comment on players from other clubs. What I will say is midfield is not an option we're looking for. We've got very good midfielders at the club, but never say never."