West Ham keeping tabs on Everton’s Michael Keane

West Ham United are keeping an eye on Everton defender Michael Keane as they plot defensive reinforcements before the end of the January transfer window.

The Daily Mail reports that the Hammers are keen on bolstering their defensive line this month, and David Moyes has pinpointed Keane as a potential target.

West Ham are short on defensive cover, having sanctioned the departure of Craig Dawson to fellow Premier League strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.

The former West Bromwich Albion man was a major target for Wolves last summer, but Moyes did not want to lose the experienced defender without a replacement.

With Dawson now away from the club, West Ham have less than three days to find a replacement, and they could make a last-minute move for Keane.

However, the transfer is not expected to generate a lot of excitement from the Hammers faithful, as Keane has only played 22 minutes of Premier League football this season.

The Englishman has been kept out of the Toffees’ starting eleven, with former manager Frank Lampard preferring a defensive duo of James Tarkowski and Wolves loanee Conor Coady.

Keane’s Everton career could be revived as a more familiar figure in Sean Dyche is set to take the reins at Goodison Park.

The pair enjoyed two years working together at Burnley before Keane left to join the Toffees in the summer of 2017.

However, a move to East London could appeal to the 30-year-old Englishman, having seen his playing time with the struggling Merseyside club significantly reduced.

In addition to making just one league appearance, Keane has featured just three times for the Toffees across all competitions this season, with his other two games coming in the Carabao Cup.

Leaving one relegation-threatened team for another may not seem like a smart move. But West Ham looked to have turned a corner when they beat Everton 2-0 at the London Stadium – a result that coincidentally sealed Lampard’s fate as Toffees gaffer.

West Ham will face Derby County in the FA Cup on Monday night before travelling to Newcastle United, hoping to continue their resurgence in the league.