The transfer mill is churning once again, with West Ham believed to be lining up a move for Hector Fort, the defender from Barcelona. Sources close to the club suggest they are exploring options to reinforce their squad ahead of the run-in. West Ham remain optimistic, but the deal is not without hurdles. Elche, Everton and Aston Villa continue to monitor developments and could yet re-enter the race if negotiations stall or valuation gaps remain unresolved. So far in this season, West Ham are conceding 2.29 goals a game (16 in 7), more than they'd like compared to the Premier League standard. The hope is Hector Fort adds a bit of steel and helps make them tougher to break down. Barcelona have also been linked with Ibrahima Konate, Christopher Nkunku and Murillo Santiago Costa dos Santos while West Ham are reportedly monitoring Mehdi Taremi, Raphael Onyedika Nwadike and Julio Enciso. Want more transfer rumours like this? Follow us on Twitter @PlayerSwitchCom for up-to-the-minute transfer news direct to your feed.