Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski would prefer to join West Ham over Everton this summer, according to Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Moyes is a big fan

The 29-year-old’s current contract at Turf Moor is set to expire at the end of the season, making him a free agent for any potential suitors that might be interested in securing his services in the upcoming transfer window.

An Everton source has recently claimed that the Toffees would consider a move for the defender should they be able to avoid the drop, but it was previously revealed by Football Insider that the Irons have been monitoring Tarkowski closely ever since last year.

According to FI's Irons source, David Moyes is personally a 'huge admirer' of the 6 foot 1 colossus and the player would 'jump at the chance' to join the Hammers.

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The Latest: West Ham hold the advantage

Reacting to the interest from the Blues, Robinson claims that West Ham will reignite their interest in the two-cap international at the end of June and win the race.

He told the outlet: “I think there will be a lot of others in for him though.

“Everton will struggle to get him. I know West Ham have looked at him in the past. We know how badly they need a centre-half. They struggled to put any out against Arsenal.

“Given the season Everton have had, they might struggle to get Tarky. He will have a lot of offers on the table as a free agent and I’m not sure Everton will be the most appealing one.”

The Verdict: An absolute bargain

The London Stadium outfit are expected to be on the hunt for a new centre-back ahead of the start of the new campaign given the club’s injury crisis, with the likes of Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna, and temporarily Kurt Zouma being ruled out of action, leaving Craig Dawson as the only fit recognised senior defender available at times.

Tarkowski, who was once dubbed an “outstanding” player by his former manager Sean Dyche, has been a rock in the heart of the Clarets defence this term, where he’s averaged 5.3 clearances, 1.8 tackles, and 1.5 interceptions per Premier League game, via WhoScored, showing just how assured he can be in the backline.

If the Hammers do have the opportunity to seal a deal for the Manchester-born talent in the coming months, then it should be an absolute no-brainer as they would be getting years of experience added to their squad for quite literally the price of nothing.

In other news… a journalist has made a huge claim involving one of West Ham’s proposed transfer targets.