OPINION
Manuel Pellegrini has overseen some huge improvements at West Ham this season, with their new-look defence most certainly among his achievements so far.
The emergence of summer signings Fabian Balbuena and Issa Diop have helped the Hammers to some promising results after a tough start to the season.
That being said, there is still some way to go for the Irons in that area, with a need for some extra depth and consistency if they want to go to the next level.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Hammers are now on the tail of Real Sociedad centre-back Diego Llorente, along with several other Premier League sides.
West Ham are said to have deployed scouts to watch the Spain international in action for Sociedad during their 3-1 win over Levante before the international break.
It is no surprise that the 25-year-old is attracting the attention of some top clubs, with his performances this season for the Basque club being right out of the top drawer.
Llorente has recently returned to the fold on the international stage for Spain with those displays, winning a second cap in the recent break against Bosnia, two years after making his debut under Vicente Del Bosque.
The 6ft 1in enforcer is beginning to prove he belongs at the top level, and a move away from Sociedad looks to be beckoning in the summer.
West Ham must make sure they are at the front of the queue for Llorente, who would be a seriously solid addition to their defence.
With players like Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna on the way out, signing players like Llorente will be key for Pellegrini if he wants to keep the Hammers’ progression going.
Llorente has a release clause set at £44million, but it is said that Sociedad could be persuaded to let him go if an ‘important’ offer came in.
West Ham must be the team to submit that concrete bid and bring in Llorente, who is the next piece of the puzzle at the back for them.