OPINION
West Ham are on the hunt for a new centre-back or two this summer, and Manuel Pellegrini will inevitably have several targets in mind as he seeks to revamp the Hammers defence.
The Chilean has already been hard at work since his appointment was announced, with the club linked to an ever-increasing list of top talent so far this window.
According to club insider ExWHUemployee, an established club insider, the Hammers have been in talks with Manchester United over the availability of their players.
And, among the United ranks, there is the perfect candidate for Pellegrini to bring into his back line this summer, and one who looks like he could be on the move in the coming weeks: Victor Lindelof.
As reported by the Mirror, Everton are already eyeing up a move for the 23-year-old, who struggled to find consistency during his first season in the Premier League.
It is said that Lindelof will be given time to prove himself at Old Trafford, but with six first-team centre-backs present at United, Jose Mourinho is said to be aware that he is well-stocked in that department.
That could in turn convince him to part with Lindelof this summer, even if it is just a loan deal, and West Ham must be the first to pounce if that decision is made.
The young 6ft 2in enforcer [Transfermarkt] may not have made the best impression during his first season here, but there is vast potential there and his performances towards the end of the season suggested that he may have turned a corner.
His left-footedness would bring a nice balance to the Hammers defence if he played alongside rising star Declan Rice, and that duo could end up going on to be the club’s centre-back partners for years to come.
With enquiries already launched, West Ham must now move to make that approach more concrete hijack the interest in Lindelof to make him one of their big signings this summer as the Pellegrini era gets underway.
