David Moyes says West Ham United will be looking to bring in players who can improve his starting XI straight away during the January transfer window.
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan wrote in Wednesday’s Official Programme that fans ‘can be rest assured that two or three new players will be brought in to improve the team’ and the manager echoed those words in his pre-Stoke City press conference.
“I hope it is busy, the January window. In recent years, it hasn’t been as busy as people had made it out to be but it’s not the easiest month [to do transfer business],” he began.
“I would like to add to the squad if we can do and I think it’s really important that we try and get players who we think can make a difference and can give us people who can more or less go straight into the team. But that’s not the easiest thing to do.”
It’s really important that we try and get players who we think can make a difference and can give us people who can more or less go straight into the team
David Moyes
Moyes has 22 senior players in his first-team squad, while 20-year-old Toni Martinez and teenagers Declan Rice, Domingos Quina, Sead Haksabanovic, Ben Johnson and Nathan Trott have all been involved in matchday 18s this season.
With the Hammers sitting in the bottom three going into Saturday’s game at Stoke City, the Scot is keen to bolster his options next month.
Speaking of this weekend’s trip to the bet365 Stadium, Moyes says the exertions of beating Chelsea and drawing with Arsenal have left his players with a few bumps and bruises.
“Squad-wise, we have got a few doubts, as everybody else has at the end of a three-game week and a tough period. We’ve also got one or two people on the way back, who aren’t quite ready yet.
“It’s a difficult time and lots of games mean you won’t always have all your players available.”
While he may be without one or two regulars, including the suspended Winston Reid, Moyes is feeling upbeat after a productive first month in charge in east London.
The Hammers recovered from defeats by Watford and Everton to score creditable draws with Leicester City and Arsenal, either side of a fantastic home win over the champions.
“I’m smiling and that tells you how I feel. I’ve really enjoyed it. The people here have made me really welcome. It’s the first time I’ve been this far down south and it’s been good.
“The players have helped because the players have bought into everything we’re trying to do with their attitude and their determination. It’s been really good and working with them has been excellent.”