"On their list" - Journalist drops West Ham transfer claim on 6 ft 4 giant compared to Van Dijk

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that West Ham United are certainly interested in a deal to sign defender Attila Szalai from Fenerbahce in this transfer window.

Manager David Moyes has yet to strengthen his squad in January but reports suggest that he still wants to sign both a central defender and a striker prior to the deadline next week.

They are continuing to make a real push to qualify for Europe once again, having finished in the Europa League qualification spots last season.

The Hammers are currently fifth in the Premier League table but it is worth pointing out that the majority of those clubs chasing the top four have at least one game in hand on the Irons.

That is true for Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur and it would subsequently make a great deal of sense for the club to try to bring in new faces across the next week.

The club have been linked with Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips as well as Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz.

They have previously been linked with a potential swoop for Szalai and O’Rourke has now claimed that there are a number of Premier League clubs who hold an interest in securing his signature, including both Chelsea and Newcastle United.

However, the journalist reckons that West Ham will also have him high on their potential shortlist of new additions, having impressed during his time in Turkey and even been compared with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. 

In total, the 24-year-old, who stands at 6ft 4in, has made 51 appearances for Fenerbahce since joining the club from Apollon Limassol at the start of the 2020/21 season, while he has also played for them in the Europa League.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: "A talented player and it seems like he's on