As we enter the last week of the January transfer window, West Ham are still yet to sign any new players.
The Hammers are going strong in the Premier League and Europa League but it is clear they need a striker to share the burden with Michail Antonio and probably a centre-back too.
However, there are no signals that the club are close to signing anyone or even decided who they want! This is extremely worrying and failure to bring players in could set up a disappointing second half of the season.
West Ham need to bring in a striker this week or risk ruining a great start first half of the season.
Antonio has had some exceptional games for West Ham but with his injury record, seemingly tired performances and recent inconsistency, it has only highlighted more than ever the need for a new centre-forward. Remember, Sebastien Haller who departed over a year ago, still hasn’t been replaced and Antonio himself isn’t an out an out number nine. West Ham needed a striker in the summer, this is not a new problem to rectify, yet we find ourselves near the end of January still with nobody.
The list of names being flying around include the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz and Adam Hlozek. However, it feels like David Moyes is taking too long to weigh up options and perhaps being too picky – a perfect Antonio clone doesn’t exist.
The failure of no incomings will result in West Ham’s lack of squad depth being further exposed, which will surely coincide with a drop away from the all important European places the club are targeting. Competing with the ‘big six’ was always going to be tough but you must give yourself the best resources to do so, it feels as if Moyes isn’t.
The dream of silverware remains alive too. West Ham are still in the FA Cup and Europa League but the thought of our current squad being able to challenge on all of these fronts with the additional matches without reinforcements seems impossible.
One of the only critiques you can give Moyes is that he isn’t proactive in the transfer market. It’s his tactic to wait for last minute deals but it’s always what if they don’t happen?
This window should’ve been seen as a wonderful opportunity to build on the successes of the last season and a half, planning for the future and buying players West Ham may not need right now, but will do come the summer like central-midfield depth with Mark Noble retiring and another winger with Andriy Yarmolenko set to leave. Instead we might not get the minimum.
Also, what message does failure to recruit new talent when needed send to the players West Ham must keep a hold of? Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen could understandably be inclined to leave if they fail to see progression or can’t help achieve their goals of European qualification again.
We know that Moyes and new Head of Recruitment, Rob Newman, are closely scouting Ligue 1 but it’s time they got a move on before it’s too late. Moyes hinted recently he didn’t just want “extra bodies” for the sake of it but even Antonio himself has admitted he wants competition up front. This window can be saved but time is disappearing.
For balance, it’s worth mentioning no blame can really be put on the board. David Sullivan is not a popular figure but this isn’t his doing. He has taken a step back from transfers, this is simply Moyes who has done an outstanding job of course, taking a gamble that for many West Ham fans isn’t worth taking. Two players are needed but how many will come in remains a mystery at this late stage.