West Ham United have now entered the race to sign an "exceptional" defender, who Manchester United are also planning to bring in this month.
West Ham looking to bring in new centre-back
West Ham's terrible defensive record is one of the main reasons they are currently 18th in the Premier League table, seven points from safety, having shipped 43 goals in 21 matches, which is the highest number of any club.
As such, it is no surprise that all three of the Hammers' main centre-back options have received heavy criticism from talkSPORT pundit Troy Deeney.
Max Kilman's performances have been under particularly intense scrutiny, and the defender was dropped to the bench for the 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest last time out, which could prove to be a real six-pointer by the end of the season.
As a result, the Irons have now set out to strengthen their options at the heart of defence this month, with it recently being revealed 21-year-old OH Leuven centre-back Roggerio Nyakossi is among the targets, but he is not the only youngster on the shortlist.
According to a report from Quotidiano Sportivo (via Sport Witness), West Ham have now joined the race to sign RB Leipzig defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu, alongside Leeds United, AFC Bournemouth, AS Monaco and Lyon.
El Chadaille Bitshiabu
Last week, it emerged that Man United also want to sign the 20-year-old in January, with the Red Devils plotting a loan bid, so there could be widespread competition for his signature.
The centre-back, who cost the German club around €15m (£13m) back in 2023, has found game time hard to come by this season, which has given the interested clubs encouragement that his current employers may be willing to sanction a departure.
"Exceptional" Bitshiabu needs to leave RB Leipzig
The youngster has featured for just 202 minutes across five outings in the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal this season, which suggests he may need to leave RB Leipzig for the good of his career this month.
Previously, however, the Frenchman has exhibited some promising signs in a RB Leipzig shirt, completing 12 defensive actions, two more than any other player, in a 1-1 draw against Holstein Kiel last season.
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The Hammers are willing to cash-in on a key player.
The 6 foot 5 colossus made 21 appearances in the Bundesliga during the 2024-25 campaign, and four in the Champions League, which suggests he could be at the level to slot right into the West Ham starting XI.
However, it would be a gamble to bring in a young and inexperienced player in the midst of a relegation battle, and it may be a better idea for West Ham to sign a centre-back with Premier League experience.