West Ham Boss Confident of Making Fifth Summer Signing

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed the club are looking to make one more signing before the closure of the transfer window.

The Hammers have added four new faces to their squad this summer in Spanish goalkeeper Adrian, Romanian national team captain Razvan Rat, young midfielder Danny Whitehead and former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, who cost the club a record fee of £16m.

The club have been in the market for further additions, but have so far failed to add to their summer spending.

West Ham were set to sign Colombian Duvan Zapata to partner Carroll until work permit issues saw the move collapse, while they were also heavily linked with Zdravko Kuzmanovic until a move was dismissed by his agent after Allardyce made his interest in the Inter Milan midfielder known.

Salomon Kalou would also now also appear closer to a move to West Brom after being heavily linked with a move to the east end.

While pleased with his additions, Allardyce admits the club have had a relatively quiet summer by their standards, but insists they will remain in the hunt for further recruits in the coming weeks.

"This has been one of the quietest summers I've had," Allardyce told talkSPORT. "We have done some good business. Andy Carroll has come in, we've got a new goalkeeper in Adrian from Real Betis, who seems to be settling in very well, and Razvan Rat will help strengthen the defence.

"We're looking at securing one more player within the budget we've got this summer, and hopefully that will make us a little bit better than last season."

West Ham co-owner David Gold also confirmed in mid-July that the club were still actively pursuing targets, highlighting a partner up front for Carroll's as the club's chief priority.

Despite being inundated with forward options last season, this summer has seen Carlton Cole leave the club while Marouane Chamakh and Wellington have returned to their parent clubs after dismal loan spells at Upton Park last summer.

With just Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo Maiga the club's only other forward options to partner Carroll at present, Allardyce will be hoping to bring in another option before West Ham's opening game of the new season against newly promoted Cardiff City.