Hammers poised to win defender race

By Dave Langton

West Ham appear poised to win the race to sign Joe Worrall from Nottingham Forest in the summer and could use left-back Emmanuel Longelo as a makeweight in a deal.

The Hammers have a real interest in signing the central defender and are keeping close tabs on his development.

Forest are only two points off the play-offs and are continuing to push for promotion to the Premier League.

Everton also hold an interest in signing Worrall but they are mired in a relegation battle and could be playing Championship football next season.

But there is a desire at the London Stadium to strengthen the backline and Worrall is seen as an attainable target regardless of whether they win promotion or not.

Worrall is very much a Moyes type playerm going in where it hurts and a real boss defensively on the pitch.

Forest made a bid to sign Longelo in January and he could be used as a part-exchange option in a player-plus-cash deal in the summer, according to a top club insider.

Longelo is desperate for first-team football but has struggled to make a breakthrough at West Ham, making just two senior appearances for the club.