Tuesday 10 January 2017 07:11, UK
Will West Ham stick or twist in the January window? Former striker Dean Ashton assesses their options up front...
The Hammers have made it clear they want to sign a striker this month, pursuing Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi, Brentford's Scott Hogan and Sunderland's Jermain Defoe.
It's a familiar situation for Ashton's old club, who have been linked with 30 different strikers over the last six months.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Lacazette and Mario Mandzukic were all targeted last summer but Slaven Bilic ended up with a loan deal for Simone Zaza, who looks set to return to Juventus without a Premier League goal.
So what's gone wrong?
"The owners came out and said they were looking for a striker and could perhaps pay a certain amount of money and that has not helped them," Ashton told Sky Sports. "Straight away it makes other clubs think, 'OK, you have to pay top money for our strikers'.
"Once you do that if you then don't deliver, it does start to look bad. The other worry I have is, if you keep going for these players and don't get them, it does look embarrassing.
"Players start to think, 'What's going on here? Do they really want me or are they just trying to get anybody?'
"They have struggled in that sense and you can see in the recent links, they are not looking to break the bank now for players.
"But in this market, if you want to get a player you probably have to pay over the odds, especially in January.
"They look a bit stuck at the moment over whether to stick or twist in that regard, and while I don't think they will go over the odds, there's no doubt the whole squad needs an injection of goals."
Ashton knows what it's like to move mid-season, having twice swapped clubs in the January transfer window. He left Crewe for Norwich in January 2005 before moving on to West Ham 12 months later.
His former club have made a third offer for Hogan, who has 14 goals in 25 Sky Bet Championship appearances this season.
Ashton is fan of the former Rochdale striker, but admits it may be a gamble considering his lack of Premier League experience.
"There's nothing wrong with looking at players from the lower leagues or the Championship because I came from the Championship to play for West Ham," Ashton added.
"At his age, he has shown unbelievable promise. You don't score 14 league goals this season unless you're a decent striker who knows where the back of the net is.
"The only issue for me is he has only really done it this season. He did it a little last year but before that he was at Rochdale. He scored goals there but we are talking about a lower level.
"It would be quite a rise to the Premier League, and we have seen players like Jamie Vardy do it, but you are taking a gamble.
"On the other hand, Jermain Defoe has already scored 11 Premier League goals in a struggling team and you know he will bring you goals. He is still in very good condition and I see another three or four years for him.
"That is the dilemma for West Ham - do you look to get somebody in who will perhaps be better in a couple of years or do you get someone who can hit the ground running.
"But there is no hiding the fact West Ham need a striker. It's just a case of trying to get the right player that will suit the way West Ham play."
