West Ham United desperately need to lock up the rearguard after conceding 55 goals this term. Only the bottom three Premier League clubs and Wolverhampton Wanderers have shipped more.
The Hammers had an equally abysmal defensive record last season, and it is a problem the club has to address in the summer transfer window.
West Ham signed Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo last summer, hoping they would reinforce the backline, but the central defensive pairing has not lived up to its billing.
There are even rumours the Irons might sell Todibo after turning his loan deal permanent, as he has suffered incessant injuries and failed to convince when he is on the pitch.
Also, Konstantinos Mavropanos will likely leave the London Stadium after unconvincing, error-strewn showings. West Ham must reinforce the defence with quality.
Per The Times, West Ham are interested in a move for Burnley defender CJ Egan-Riley, who has been a part of the best defence in the Championship and is available on a free transfer.
Egan-Riley has won 50% of his aerial and 75% of his ground duels this season, helping the club keep 25 clean sheets in 39 appearances as they secured Premier League qualification.
Yesterday, West Ham transfer insider ExWHUEmployee claimed the club held talks with the 22-year-old ahead of a summer move.
West Ham must convince Egan-Riley to move to East London – View
West Ham must pull out all the stops to land Egan-Riley this summer. The Burnley defender has been a cornerstone of a backline that has conceded just 15 goals in 44 Championship games.
The ex-Manchester City academy product would be a brilliant addition. He can operate at right-back or centre-back and would offer manager Graham Potter much-needed depth.
Signing Egan-Riley on a free would be a shrewd move, allowing the Hammers to invest elsewhere.
Given that Todibo continues to battle injuries and Mavropanos’ poor performances, adding Egan-Riley could be vital to stabilising the defence.
(Stats from Sofascore)