With Philippe Coutinho expected to undertake his medical for Aston Villa on Monday and sign on with the Midlanders until at least the end of the 2021/22 Premier League season, Steven Gerrard is in for a busy week.
The former Liverpool stars look set to reunite after Coutinho’s ill-fated sojourn to Barcelona, in what would be a real coup for both the manager and the club.
It may not be the only deal done this week, however, with central defender, Kortney Hause, potentially on the way back to the club where it all started for him.
According to Football Insider sources, West Ham have made an approach for the 26-year-old, and though Watford are also believed to want the out-of-favour centre-back, Hause’s East London roots surely mean that the Hammers hold the advantage.
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Born in Goodmayes, Essex, just a few miles up the road from West Ham’s London Stadium, Hause began his junior career at West Ham’s academy, where he played for eight years.
Given that he’s seen his first-team opportunities limited since Gerrard took over at Villa Park, a chance to go back home, so to speak, may appeal.
From West Ham’s point of view, David Moyes needs a strong, aggressive centre-back to shore up his back line.
Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna are out for the foreseeable future, and if Hause is willing and available, he could be the perfect solution.
As he showed with the winner at Man United earlier in the campaign, he can also provide a supplementary attacking presence when required.