The January transfer window brings with it the usual rumours, the usual suspects and the usual market places – but if West Ham want to do something bold and imaginative, maybe they should look beyond the obvious, and consider new places to shop. Like America’s MLS.

Writing in the new edition of Blowing Bubbles magazine, columnist Greg Richardson says the club should snap out of the usual cycle and broaden its horizons for recruitment.

“Each window we publicly declare we have x budget or are prepared to pay y wages for a top player. We then go round a multitude of Europe’s top clubs, attempting to woo them into selling their players. More often than not we are aiming at talent out of our league, we are rejected and publicly too.

“A lack of long-term planning has left us with an unbalanced squad with one of the oldest average ages in the league. We need to start looking elsewhere.

“What we need is players that are hungry, talented and would see playing in the Premier League with us as a positive step in their career. The MLS may be our playing field.

“The MLS is an untapped market and there may be some hidden gems there if we are willing to look. The alternative is to keep doing the same dance in Europe and hope our luck’s in.”

For more thoughts on shopping Stateside, views on the Moyes era so far, Don Hutchison lifting the lid on his two colourful spells in claret and blue, and every manager in West Ham history ranked and rated, pick up a copy of the new edition of Blowing Bubbles – out now.