Alex Crook has dropped a damning claim on West Ham United's deadline day activity.

What's been said?

In recent comments made on talkSPORT (via West Ham Zone), the transfer insider revealed that, despite David Moyes having identified a centre-forward and a centre-back as his primary targets in the January transfer window, as well as the 58-year-old having money to spend in the market, the Hammers manager vetoed a number of deals his side were attempting to get done on deadline day.

Speaking about West Ham's failed January business, Crook said: "I was told early in the window there is money for David Moyes to spend. He wanted a striker and a central defender. So the live options that were presented to him, he decided wouldn't improve the West Ham squad. Ultimately, David Moyes vetoed any new arrivals."

Jim White then questioned whether the West Ham board would have been happy to cough up should Moyes have identified a target he wanted to bring to the club, to which Crook replied: "That's what I’ve been told, and I have no reason to doubt that information."

Fans will be livid

With West Ham currently sitting just one point behind Manchester United in fourth place in the Premier League standings, this season easily represents West Ham's best opportunity to qualify for Champions League football since the turn of the millennium.

However, with Michail Antonio currently being the Irons' only recognised striker, as well as Angelo Ogbonna's season-ending ACL injury leaving the Hammers lacking any real strength in depth in the heart of defence, it very much appeared that, should Moyes wish to give his side the best possible chance of securing a top-four finish in the league this season, a new centre-forward and central defender were, at the very least, two signings the 58-year-old must get over the line in January.

Despite this, West Ham's squad remains exactly the same as it was on January 1, with the Irons failing to make a single signing in the winter window - something that it would now appear is down to Moyes personally vetoing the club's moves for a number of January targets.

As such, should his side be hit with injuries in the second half of the current campaign, or even just suffer fatigue from competing in the Europa League, FA Cup and Premier League, the Scot can have nobody but himself to blame, as his actions last month could easily have cost the Hammers their best shot at the top four in recent memory - something that will undoubtedly leave fans livid.

In other news: Moyes dropped grave deadline day error as fresh twist emerges on late West Ham move