West Ham are off the bottom of the Premier League table after five games in the Premier League, having beaten Everton at Goodison Park yesterday.

The Hammers splashed the cash in the summer transfer window, eager to avoid another relegation dogfight in the Premier League. Despite keeping the Hammers up, David Moyes was deemed the wrong man to take the club forward, and Manuel Pellegrini was hired instead. However, four defeats in his opening five fixtures has piled the pressure on the former Manchester City boss already.

There are problems at both ends of the field which will no doubt be concerning for the West Ham hierarchy. The Hammers are struggling for goals while their defence continues to be exposed far too easily. Despite their extravagant summer spending, Pellegrini needs to have one eye on the January transfer window for potential recruits to address their slump.

One man he could target is Villarreal defender – Victor Ruiz. Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Spaniard lists Valencia and Napoli as his former employers and has a vast amount of experience at the highest level. He was a key player for the Yellow Submarine last season, making 34 appearances in all competitions. However, he has less than one year remaining on his contract meaning West Ham could pick up a bargain in the New Year.

Ruiz reads the game excellently, averaging 2.1 interceptions per game in La Liga last year. The Spaniard is a no-nonsense defender, averaging 4.9 clearances per game, which is exactly what Pellegrini needs to add some stability to his back line. Ruiz is also comfortable playing the ball out of defence, completing 86% of his passes in the previous campaign (WhoScored).

Potentially available at a great price or on a free, bringing the 29-year-old to the London Stadium should be made a priority in January.

West Ham fans, thoughts?