West Ham are in the hunt to sign FC Augsburg defender Martin Hinteregger, according to The Sun.
The British tabloid claim that the Hammers are battling Everton for the left-footed centre-back who is valued at £13million.
The Sun report that due to Hinteregger having an outstanding campaign in the Bundesliga last season, his performances have put several European clubs on notice.
It is believed that despite interest from Inter Milan, the 25-year-old would like to try his luck in the Premier League if he is to leave Germany this summer.
OPINION
This would be a good move by Manuel Pellegrini if he truly feels another centre-back needs recruiting this summer. Hinteregger not only impressed in his 31 appearances last season but he is a versatile player. The 25-year-old can not only play as a centre-back but is also able to flourish when deployed as a left-back, so would be additional cover in that position for Pellegrini. Also it’s worth noting that the left footer is very comfortable when on the ball and has previously featured as a defensive midfielder in his career. While it has been a while since he has featured in that position, it could be a role that he could succeed in at the London Stadium. The Hammers do lack a top-quality defensive midfielder as it stands and Hinteregger could be the answer for the bargain price of just £13million. The only potential roadblock to this deal currently is that not only do the Hammers have to beat the Toffees to his signature, Augsburg are financially comfortable and would probably be reluctant to let their highly-rated defender go this summer.
