After starting to win games in the Premier League more often recently, the West Ham fans here in the Tavern have become an extremely relieved bunch going into 2017.

After a truly up-and-down season which has seen them struggle to find form and get the best out of their big-name players, much needed wins over Hull City, Burnley and Swansea have seen the Hammers rise away from the relegation zone.

The 2-2 draw over Liverpool was also a fantastic result, which on a different day, could have yielded all three points.

But with things looking a little better, talk here in the Transfer Tavern has now turned to January and the business Slaven Bilic must do to keep the Hammers in the Premier League and pushing towards a top-half finish.

And after a real natter with our Hammers locals, we think we’ve got a decent hold of some defenders that would really fit the bill at the London Stadium.

So with that in mind, here’s four defenders Bilic should really look to sign in January…

Darijo Srna

It’s extremely rare in modern-day football to see 34-year-olds linked with moves to the Premier League but the case is very different for Croatia star Darijo Srna.

The veteran full-back has remained one of the best defenders in Europe and he’s a man that would add plenty of steel and, of course, experience to a West Ham back-line that has been far too timid at times this season.

Molla Wague

Another player who has been hotly linked with the Premier League with the transfer window fast approaching is young Granada star Molla Wague.

He’s a Malian international who has really cemented his place in the first-team of the Serie A side Udinese, where he is on loan, and he could be rewarded with a high-profile move in January, if the price is right.

He’s commanding in the air, reads the game well and has a real burst of speed. He could be the plug needed to finally fill the hole in this leaky West Ham defence.

Tin Jedvaj

He’s had an excellent couple of years for Bayer Leverkusen and is another Croatian making waves in the top leagues in Europe.

At just 21-years-old, his development could continue at one of the most exciting projects in the Premier League and with form on the way up, he could really make an impact for the Hammers. They’ll need to be willing to spend the money needed to bring him to London, though.

Rob Holding

He’s struggling for game-time at Arsenal and a loan move for young English defender Rob Holding would certainly be the best way for him to continue his development.

With West Ham at the other end of the table, loaning him to the Hammers would hardly make a difference to Arsenal’s league campaign and this way, he’d be gaining experience at the top level.

His game needs a little refining but we’ve seen some good signs early on – he just needs games and he’d certainly see more minutes with a loan move at West Ham than staying at the Emirates.

Agree, West Ham fans? Let us know below!