There is no love lost between them on the pitch, now Arsenal and Spurs are set to do battle off it – and it’s terrible news for West Ham.
It sums West Ham’s season up that it could be argued the club’s biggest achievement was put another spanner in the works for Arsenal’s title hopes.
Fellow London rivals Tottenham Hotspur have not been much better, though.
Julen Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten paid the price for West Ham’s failings.
The Hammers pulled the trigger in order to appoint Graham Potter – who was reportedly in Daniel Levy’s sights for Tottenham as doubts emerged over Ange Postecoglou.
Given Arsenal have faltered in another title challenge, fans of all three clubs will be expecting better next season.
And one thing the Hammers, Gunners and Spurs all undoubtedly need to achieve that is a new striker.
Many Tottenham fans are unconvinced by Dominic Solanke.
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West Ham wanted Solanke heading into last summer.
They had even held talks with his family.
West Ham, Spurs and Arsenal all hunting a striker
But the Hammers’ owners conceded they could not match the huge £65m fee Spurs paid.
West Ham signed ageing forward Niclas Fullkrug instead. But he has spent the vast majority of the season out injured.
Arsenal are under pressure to make a big striker signing having paid the price for failing to have back-up options again this term.
Potter helped West Ham beat the likes of Spurs and Arsenal to Evan Ferguson in January.
But he has barely played and the deal is not expected to be made permanent.
Soon-to-be 35-year-old Michail Antonio set to be back-up at best, if he is handed a new one-year deal.
Danny Ings is being released and West Ham are said to be open to offers for Fullkrug.
New Arsenal vs Spurs transfer battle is terrible news for Potter
The new man at the London Stadium helm is already working on his summer striker plans with head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay.
But Arsenal and Spurs are now set for a new transfer battle and it’s terrible news for Potter’s West Ham plan.
When he was appointed in January, Potter told West Ham two players he wanted most this summer.
One of those was Lille striker Jonathan David.
Canada striker David is out of contract in June and won’t be signing a new deal.
The 25-year-old has scored 176 goals for club and country in his career so far.
West Ham actually confirmed their interest in David in January.
Gunners and Spurs in ‘active concrete’ talks to sign David
And it was recently claimed Potter is determined and convinced West Ham can sign David ahead of his dream club Barcelona, due to the Spanish side’s financial issues.
There was encouraging news for the Hammers from the Catalan giants earlier this week too..
It was claimed there is no consensus among Barcelona chiefs about David and interest has cooled.
The reports also claimed West Ham had made an ‘irresistible’ offer to the striker and his agent, who is based out of London.
Potter’s plans may have been crushed, though, by news emerging from France this weekend.
In a major exclusive, top French outlet Le10Sport claim Arsenal and Tottenham are now in ‘active and concrete’ negotiations to sign a David on a free transfer.
David is free to talk to clubs and agree a pre-contract deal.
And that’s exactly what Postecoglou and Mikel Arteta are doing according to the report.
Man United are also said to have registered an interest.
Death knell for West Ham’s David pipedream
But the report claims it is the Gunners and Tottenham who have come from nowhere to be battling it out for David’s signature.
One would think Champions League football, and the fact Arteta has his side challenging at the top of the Premier League, might swing those talks in Arsenal’s favour.
However, Tottenham could well secure Champions League football themselves if they win the Europa League.
It is devastating news for West Ham.
The deal always looked highly unlikely from the outset.
And West Ham might have felt confident fighting off Tottenham given David will be a guaranteed starter in east London.
But Arsenal’s need for a new forward, the bigger wages they can undoubtedly afford to offer and what is likely to be regular Champions League football is surely the death knell for West Ham’s David hopes.