During a summer which has seen the Hammers linked with a number of high-profile players, most notably David Beckham, West Ham fans have been left underwhelmed by their club’s limited movement in the transfer market.

Having had to endure the prospect of their entire side being put up for sale, with the exception of dynamic midfielder Scott Parker, Irons fans have seen the club fail to raise significant funds through sales, or through a cash injection by the club’s chairmen. Transfer rumours have linked them with a number of big names, but there’s been no sign of any real movement.

With the club receiving a 3-0 drubbing at Aston Villa on the opening day of the season, with the score line flattering the Hammers, new manager Avram Grant will be aware of the need to strengthen a squad that massively underperformed last season. Despite this, the only transfer that the Hammers are being linked to is the potential departure of Scott Parker, with the interest from Spurs manager Harry Redknapp refusing to fade away.

Should Grant fail to act now and wait until January to assess where his squad needs strengthening, the Hammers run the risk of paying inflated prices as well as leaving it too late to turn around their season, suggesting that despite the lack of time Grant has had to assess the side, he must act sooner rather than later if he is to ensure that the Hammers don’t fall into a relegation scrap. Not many people would make West Ham betting tips to go down given the number of poor sides in the league, but Blackpool’s 4-0 win over Wigan shows that nothing can be taken for granted.

After guiding Pompey to the FA Cup final with limited funds, Grant has proved himself capable of transforming a team without requiring investment. However, with the owners claiming to be passionate West Ham fans, they must surely be aware of the dire consequences should the Hammers fail to avoid relegation.