Germany defender Niklas Stark has emerged as a potential centre-back target for West Ham.
The 26-year-old Hertha Berlin mainstay is one of the names on the high-flying Hammers' radar as he heads towards the final six months of his contract.
The east Londoners were originally planning to review their central defensive options at the end of the season when Stark would be free.
But the serious anterior cruciate knee ligament injury suffered by Angelo Ogbonna could force them into a re-think in January and to bring those plans forward.