West Ham United struggled to get new signings over the line in the summer.
The Hammers brought in two first-team players; Tomas Soucek, on a permanent deal after his initial loan, and Vladimir Coufal.
That’s it.
There have been suggestions that they could raid the Championship, or more specifically Watford, for Craig Dawson as the domestic transfer window remains open.
Still, it appears that manager David Moyes came close to signing an attacking midfielder, only to eventually be snubbed by the player.
Club Brugge’s Hans Vanaken was seen as a potential target and Het Nieuwsblad journalist Bart Lagae has been speaking about the failed deal to De Tribune, via Sport Witness.
Lagae claims Vanaken, an attacking midfielder, became a “top priority” for the club, as they looked to pay €15m (£13.6m) for his signature.
He is 28 and has scored five goals and laid on three assists thus far this season, and Lagae claims he seriously considered the opportunity to move to east London.
He said: “In the meantime, I have understood, also from Vanaken’s entourage, that he has seriously considered the option.
“Also because Vanaken thinks London is an attractive city. So the thought was there that if he ever wanted to do it, it might be now or never. Vanaken is not getting any younger.
“But from the moment Club indicated that they wanted to make an effort with a contract extension, he was able to accept it fairly quickly.”
GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…
This would have been a decent signing for the Hammers but they have bigger fish to fry.
Vanaken is, after all, an attacking midfielder and that is an area in which West Ham are relatively well stocked.
Defenders are the order of the day – there is a reason they are still interested in Dawson – and one has to think that keeping the £13.6m in their back pocket can only be a good thing.
There is every chance that money could be used to secure reinforcements at the back and one has to say that is the best option.
They may have dodged a bullet.