Aston Villa defender Kortney Hause is interested in returning to West Ham in the January transfer window, according to a transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Hause's West Ham previous

The 26-year-old spent much of his youth career with the Hammers, with a spell in east London between 2003 and 2011, but he never made a first-team appearance for the Irons.

Hause ended up moving to Villa in 2019 after playing for the likes of Wycombe Wanderers and Wolves, with 54 appearances to date for the 1982 European Cup winners.

Minutes have been tough to come by this season, though, with just four Premier League starts coming his way, so a January exit could make sense.

The Latest: Hause wants West Ham return

According to Football Insider, a source close to Hause has informed them that the defender is 'keen' on going back to West Ham this month.

His current Villa deal expires at the end of this season, but the report stated that his club have the option of extending that by 12 months.

The Verdict: Good squad signing

Hause might not be the big-name addition that some West Ham fans might crave in January but he is someone who could add strong squad depth in the long-term injury absence of Angelo Ogbonna.

He won 10 caps for England's under-21s in the past, highlighting his pedigree, and he has averaged 4.4 successful headers per game across all competitions so far this season. He also earned glowing praise from Aston Villa journalist Pat Rowe, who said last September: "He always looks so assured now this season, and physically, he just dominates players, he’s got the pace."

At 26, Hause is at a point in his career where he has plenty of experience but should just be about to enter his peak footballing years, further showing why it could be an astute piece of business for West Ham to bring him back to east London.

In other news, West Ham have been backed to sign another player in January. Find out who it is here.