West Ham have endured their fair share of disappointments this summer.

The Hammers have not started the season in the best form, winning just once in the Premier League, and were knocked out of the EFL Cup in the midweek, taking a pasting from Everton at Goodison Park.

Add into that frustrations over the club’s transfer policy, including the sale of Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion, and one gets a pretty heady cocktail.

Indeed, the Hammers broke their transfer duck on Friday, bringing in Vladimir Coufal, a right-back from Slavia Prague, having previously converted Tomas Soucek’s loan into a permanent deal.

There has been interest in a number of centre-backs after manager David Moyes pleaded for the signing of a new defender, including the likes of Burnley’s James Tarkowski and Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car.

But it seems that there is also a desire to strengthen in attacking midfield and, to that end, Club Brugge star Hans Vanaken was identified as a potential target.

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Sport Witness carries a report from Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws, who claim that a bid in excess of €15m (£13.5m) was tabled for the playmaker.

The bid was rejected, though, despite Moyes viewing him as a “dream” signing in this transfer window.

To rub salt into the wounds, Vanaken was not said to be keen on a move anyway so there is no guarantee it would have happened even if Brugge had accepted the offer.

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

You have to feel for Moyes.

He has been dealt something of a bum hand in this window.

They haven’t strengthened properly in a number of areas, a highly-rated academy product has been sold on and fans and players alike have no idea if the Irons are actually done in the window, with the deadline only two days away.

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If Moyes really did view Vanaken as a dream signing, one has to say that the Hammers hardly pulled out all the stops; they made one bid, saw it rejected, and have moved on.

This is not to say that he is a necessary signing – a centre-back is a far more pressing need – but it only adds to the deep well of sympathy fans will surely be feeling for their beleaguered manager.