Dean Ashton has questioned West Ham United’s ambition after a relatively quiet January transfer window.

With the Hammers sitting fifth in the Premier League table, into the knockout stages of the Europa League and fighting for a Champions League spot, it seemed inevitable reinforcements would be brought in.

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Michail Antonio, a former winger, is the club’s only recognised senior striker and David Moyes and the board have failed to replace Sebastien Haller after selling him last January.

Moyes always spoke about wanting to get the right players into his squad and wanting to only add to what he has in east London if suitable replacements arrived.

Jesse Lingard was linked with a move, as was Darwin Nunez, Duje Caleta-Car, Divock Origi and others – yet it seems the deadline will pass without a single player arriving at the London Stadium.

Given how stretched the squad will be until the end of the season, former Hammers striker Ashton was left bemused at the club’s transfer strategy – considering they were also linked with deals worth £100million for Leeds duo Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

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“I feel like they should have done some business,” Ashton said on Drive. “It feels to me, very much like with the Phillips and Raphinha thing, I laughed out loud when I saw those rumours.

“It feels to me as if West Ham, and it might be because of rumours, but it always feels like they are interested and they might offer this and it feels like it is never going to be accepted.

“But it looks like they are interested and they are going to be doing business, well you have a great opportunity – a fantastic opportunity this season – to get top four.

“This season, Manchester United have struggled, Tottenham and Arsenal we are not sure still, and they’ve got one real recognised striker.

“If he gets injured, that is it. I know he hasn’t got the goals, but if you look at his actual performances and what he is bringing to the side and how important he is out of possession, that would be it – top four gone.”

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Ashton added: “Where is that player that they need that is going to come in when he is not scoring, to maybe come in and make him think ‘actually I need to score’?

“Where is that ambition? If you are going to be an elite club, you need to have competition for places.

“Everyone fears the fact that they are not going to play and therefore every day in training has to be right up there and every game you play has to be up there.

“That’s how you build an elite mentality and it just feels like, at the moment, they are not willing to take that next step to bring in good competition for places.”