Dumped out of the Europa League and EFL Cup and lying in 16th position in the Premier League table – just one point above the relegation zone – it’s fair to say that it’s been a disappointing campaign to date for West Ham United.

After failing to reach the group stages in Europe for the second successive season, the Irons’ poor form at their new home – the London Stadium – has seen them struggling at the wrong end of the league table.

Slaven Bilic’s miserable season was confounded by a poor display in the 4-1 EFL Cup quarter-final defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, and the Croatian may already be looking ahead to the winter transfer window in order to shake-up his squad that includes summer arrivals such as Gokhan Tore and Simone Zaza, who have flopped thus far.

Here are FIVE January transfer window priorities for the Hammers…

Send Zaza back and buy ANOTHER striker

It seems that every transfer window West Ham are looking for a new striker and it is likely to be same old scenario for Bilic in January with his side netting just 14 goals in 13 Premier League matches this term.

With loanee Simone Zaza struggling to adapt to English football and Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll spending most of their time on the sidelines because of injury, Bilic has few options up top.

It is about time the Irons struck lucky with a new attacker and the challenge is to find one that can be their main man up front for a couple of years at least.

Bring in a new centre-back

While they have struggled to score goals, the Hammers are also leaking far too many at the back.

Only Crystal Palace, Swansea and Hull have conceded more than Bilic’s side this term and that must change if the east London outfit are to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle come the end of the season.

The Croatian boss has opted for three centre-backs in recent weeks with Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna and Cheikhou Kouyate, but he could look to bring in a new defender in January to allow the latter to move back into the defensive midfield position.

Find a solution to the right-sided issue

Bilic is currently playing a system that incorporates wing-backs, but is a position that doesn’t seem to suit its current occupier on the right-hand side, Michail Antonio – defensively at least.

The England international has played at right-back on a number of occasions last season and this because of injuries to the likes of Sam Byram, but he has shown time and time again that he struggles with the defensive side of his game, and Bilic must find a solution to the problem sooner rather than later.

Of course, Antonio is also the club’s top goalscorer with six Premier League goals this term, and as a huge goal threat in the side, he must surely be played further up the pitch than where he currently is.

Keep hold of Dimitri Payet

The Frenchman was incredible for the Irons last term and despite being a little quieter this season, he is still the one player that seems to be able to make things happen for Bilic’s side.

With the club hovering just above the relegation zone, the worry will be that the big clubs could start to circle around Payet, who may want to join a team that is challenging at the right end of the table, either here or abroad.

Whether any interest comes in January remains to be seen, but he is surely on the radars of a number of clubs.

Inject some pace into the side

One of the problems for West Ham this season is that they have lacked that energy and pace away from the likes of Antonio and Aaron Cresswell in the wing-back positions.

That is something that needs to change if the club are to provide more of a threat on the counter-attack for example, and Bilic could look to bring in some more pacey players to freshen up his lethargic team during the transfer window.