West Ham United are reportedly interested in securing a transfer deal for Juventus defender Koni De Winter.
The Lowdown: Nine defeats
Despite bringing in some new defensive reinforcements during the previous summer transfer window such as Nayef Aguerd and Thilo Kehrer, West Ham have not been particularly strong at the back this season.
Specifically, the Hammers have the joint-highest number of defeats (9) in the league despite there only being three clubs that have conceded fewer goals than them (17).
With that in mind, it seems as though the east London club have got their eyes on signing another defender who is currently making a name for himself in Serie A.
The Latest: West Ham eyeing De Winter
According to a recent report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) West Ham are looking to secure a transfer deal for De Winter, who is currently on loan with Empoli.
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The report adds that fellow Premier League side Southampton are also interested in signing the 20-year-old.
The Verdict: Worth a shot
With eight games under his belt in Serie A this season, the youngster has the joint-highest percentage of successful passes (88.2%) at Empoli, which shows how comfortable he is with the ball at his feet.
From a defensive point of view, De Winter has the fifth-highest number of clearances (28) at the club as well as making 10 blocks, six interceptions and five successful tackles along the way.
Described by Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci as a player that has "enormous room for improvement" after impressing him in a game, the Belgian has shown that he is on the right track to becoming a very capable defender in one of Europe's top leagues.
Given the promise he’s shown, we feel that if he continues to impress, West Ham should definitely explore the possibility of potentially signing De Winter from Juventus and adding him to David Moyes' squad to see if he can become a big player for them in the Premier League.