Vlad Coufal’s proposed move away from the Hammers in January may have had the brakes slammed on!

The injury to Kurt Zouma, and his surgery, has left the Irons in need of a defensive fix.

That means Thilo Kehrer may be forced back into centre-back, instead of playing at right-back, and that would open up a slot at full-back.

Coufal is the obvious man to fill the gap and add his experience and drive to the backline.

There are also the options of Ben Johnson and Harrison Ashby, of course, but Coufal would likely feel that he is the player most likely to get the nod.

Most reporting has suggested the Hammers would be happy to sell the Czechia international in January but that may no longer be the case, especially given just how short the Irons would look if they were to suffer one more injury.

Coufal looks likely to be staying until the summer at least at this rate.