OPINION
It seems as though West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini is looking to snap up a new centre back to help bolster his side this summer but finding the right man to fill the void is a task easier said than done.
The Hammers already have a number of options at the heart of the defence – Issa Diop, Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna the trio currently fighting it out for a first team spot but according to Claret and Hugh a new defensive recruit is high up his priority list.
One name which will be a familiar one to the east London outfit will be Alfie Mawson, the former Swansea City defender who moved to Fulham in 2018 after plenty of speculation linking him with a move to the London Stadium.
The Daily Mail claim that the Hammers actually bid £20million for his capture but he ended up heading to Craven Cottage instead – a move which has not worked out well for the 25-year-old.
A knee injury has curtailed his season as the Cottagers flounder at the very foot of the table, relegation appearing all but certain now, and the Hammers must further upset their London rivals.
Football.London report that there are hopes the English powerhouse will remain when Fulham drop into the Championship, with fears of losing him, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Jean-Michael Seri just a year after their arrivals – but surely there is no better time for West Ham to finally get their hands on their man.
Breaking the hearts of Fulham would only be an added bonus to the Hammers faithful, while Pellegrini can sort out his defensive issue once and for all.
