'I like that': West Ham urged to follow David Moyes transfer strategy for £30m bagsman

West Ham have under a week to turn their search for a striker in the January transfer window a reality with the days ticking by and Deadline Day fast approaching.

The acquisition of a marksman remains a priority for the Hammers with Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio injured. Jarrod Bowen is on the verge of returning from a fractured foot but Graham Potter is lacking options to lead the line for his West Ham side.

West Ham have made transfer bids for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran but the Midlands club are not interested in selling the Colombia international. Duran has bagged 12 goals in all competitions this season for the Villains, including one against West Ham in the Premier League, after the London outfit failed to finalise a deal for the player last summer.

Graham Potter transfer priorities analysed

Instead, £27 million was spent to recruit Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund but the striker has endured a debut campaign ravaged by injury at the London Stadium. NationalWorld's James Jones has underlined that a striker must remain an urgent priority for the club in the window, with two names of particular interest.

He told the West Ham podcast: "It's been the problem at West Ham for decades. It's been well spoken about, the club's failure and struggles to sign a proper centre-forward who can score goals and stay fit. So many have come and gone over the years, Gianluca Scamacca and Sebastien Haller recently. Those were big names that arrived, haven't fit the style of play, struggled in the Premier League and then left for a big loss and gone elsewhere in Europe and done really well.

"There's a lot of pressure on the club now to get it right and there isn't much room for failure with Fullkrug out for at least another three months. Antonio won't play again for the rest of the season after his car accident and we're just getting Jarrod Bowen back after breaking his foot. All we're left with is Danny Ings. Ings tries hard, runs about and does well but he's an ageing striker whose best days in the Premier League are behind him. It would be unfair on him to rely on his goals to get us into the top 10."

West Ham have been linked with a loan move for Ajax forward Brian Brobbey in a deal that would see the Premier League side obligated to buy the player for £30 million in the summer. David Moyes enjoyed success when shopping at Ajax for West Ham, with both Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez coming to the club and impressing under the Scotsman.

West Ham urged to shop at Ajax once again

Jones continued: "The last days of the transfer window are incredibly important for the club, for Graham Potter to get the right striker in. It'll probably be a loan deal. I think the Jhon Duran ship has sailed for West Ham, we should've paid the £40 million that Villa wanted in the summer but instead we chose Fullkrug for silly money and that ended up not being a good deal economically. It's not going to be Duran but there's talk of Brian Brobbey at Ajax, he could come in on loan with an obligation to buy.

"I quite like the look of that, he's young, quick and strong, not getting a lot of game time at Ajax so that could potentially be a good fit for us. We've had success taking players from Ajax in Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez, that's giving me a little bit of hope.

"There's Evan Ferguson as well. I like the idea of us bringing him in on loan at the last minute and giving him some game time. It was only two years ago he was being touted as a Champions League striker, £100 million worth of a player. If we got the chance to get him on loan, even if it's just for six months, I'm all for it."

In other news, one West Ham transfer plan has hit the rocks while European giants have 'called' an injured Hammers defender