Despite already having Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna in the squad while also adding Issa Diop during this transfer window, West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini still does not seem entirely content with his options at the back.

According to Sky Sports, the Hammers have made a £20m bid for Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles as the Chilean looks to strengthen his team's defence further, although a deal for the 24-year-old will not be easy to get over the line.

The Breakdown

West Ham have been one of the most active teams in the transfer window this summer with improving the club's defence being of urgency to Pellegrini.

Diop, Lukasz Fabianski and Ryan Fredericks have all been signed, and now the Hammers have made a move for £13.5m-rated (via Transfermarkt) Lascelles.

Assessing West Ham's central defence, the club by no means have the worst pool of centre-backs in the Premier League to choose from. Reid and Ogbonna are both very good defenders on their day, while Diop has shown a lot of promise during his time with Toulouse in Ligue 1.

However, Lascelles is both more polished than the Frenchman and more consistent than his team-mate Ogbonna. Ultimately, the Newcastle skipper would be coming in as an upgrade to what West Ham already have at their disposal.

Lascelles played a gigantic role in Newcastle not only securing Premier League survival, but finishing as high as 10th in the table.

He is a largely influential figure that on top of his solid defensive displays, will also bring leadership and a sense of calmness to the West Ham defence.

With that in mind, it is highly unlikely that Newcastle will be willing to part ways with their captain. Lascelles, though, is the calibre of defender that West Ham should be targeting.