West Ham United are set to battle it out for the signature of Djibril Sow, who has recently returned from the World Cup with Switzerland.

The Lowdown: West Ham target midfielder

In light of West Ham's poor start to the Premier League season, currently sitting 16th in the standings, manager David Moyes has identified the need for some new blood in the middle of the park, and 36-time Swiss international Sow is deemed to fit the bill.

The midfielder started every game for his national side in Qatar, before they exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage against Portugal on Tuesday night, and the Eintracht Frankfurt ace is now being eyed for a move to England.

The Latest: Sow in Moyes' sights

As per Sport Witness, who are sharing news from Sport 1, the 25-year-old is in the sights of both the Hammers and Aston Villa for a January swoop, although Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche is not keen on a deal, saying: "We don't want to sell any player in the winter."

However, their stance could change if an 'insane' deal is offered, with the price the German club are holding out for believed to be in the region of £26m.

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The Verdict: Make it happen

The £38k-per-week earner was recently praised for his 'extremely composed' nature in and around the box by journalist Sam Tighe, highlighting one of the key aspects of his game, but he also excels in his defensive duties at the opposite end of the pitch.

Over the past year, the enforcer has averaged 1.64 interceptions per 90 minutes, a figure that places him in the 88th percentile compared to his positional peers and puts on show his acumen in cutting out the opposition supply.

Not only that, but the Zurich-born midfielder also put in a string of solid performances at the World Cup, displaying his creative talents with an assist in the 3-2 round of 16 victory against Serbia.

With West Ham struggling at the wrong end of the table, Moyes could really use a dependable option in central-midfield to partner Declan Rice, and Sow has proven himself as a consistent and well-rounded performer in the Bundesliga this season, averaging a 6.92 match rating, as per SofaScore.