West Ham are considering a move for Aston Villa centre-back Tyrone Mings, according to journalist and transfer expert Dean Jones.
David Moyes is eager to sign another centre-back this summer following an injury crisis in that area of his squad has left just Kurt Zouma available for selection over the first two games of the Premier League season.
There is interest from the Hammers for PSG duo Abdou Diallo and Thilo Kehrer, according to Sky Sports, but nothing appears to have progressed with either of those players beyond bids going in for them.
Mings has been stripped of his Villa Park captaincy by Steven Gerrard and was benched for Villa’s first game of the season against Bournemouth, although returned to the starting XI for their win over Everton last weekend.
Such uncertainty over the 29-year-old’s position at Aston Villa suggests he might be available at the right price this summer, although there is no indication that Gerrard would be keen on allowing him to leave just yet.
But Jones, speaking to GiveMeSport, has admitted West Ham are “thinking” about making a move for him.
He said: “Tyrone Mings is one that hasn’t really been mentioned but is an obvious fit for what they’re looking for.
“They’re not looking for a first-choice defender, they’re looking for someone that can fight to be part of that team. You could say, ‘Tyrone Mings is struggling with that battle himself for Aston Villa. Why would he get it at West Ham?’
“But it might just be that he needs a new club. He is one that West Ham are aware of and of thinking about, but we’ll have to see whether it actually turns into anything active.”
It appears that Mings might be a bit further down the list of targets for West Ham if bids have reportedly gone in for the likes of Diallo and Kehrer at PSG, while there are also reports of a bid going in for Fenerbahce’s Attila Szalai.
But, if Moyes fails to bring in any of those aforementioned names, Mings might just be next in line before the transfer window deadline on September 1st.
