David Moyes wants former Everton man Ramiro Funes Mori as plan B for defender signing

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West Ham United boss David Moyes is on the hunt for a new centre-back this summer.

Fabian Balbuena’s departure means West Ham only have three senior centre-backs.

Angelo Ogbonna turns 34 next season while Craig Dawson will be turning 32. And there remain doubts over Issa Diop’s ability to rediscover the form from his first season at the club.

Hammers on hunt for new centre-back this summer

Indeed there is even talk he is being groomed for a role as defensive midfield back-up to Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek.

West Ham have been linked with a host of defenders from Serbian namesakes Nikola Milenkovic and Maksimovic to James Tarkowski and Duje Caleta-Car.

The most recent talk is that Moyes is looking to sign Morocco international Nayef Aguerd.

But should that prove unsuccessful, Football Insider claims West Ham are weighing up bringing former Everton defender Funes Mori back to the Premier League.

Moyes eyeing ex Everton man as plan B should move for new target fail – report

Argentine Mori spent three seasons at Everton, making 67 appearances and chipping in with five goals.

He left the Toffees in 2018 for Villarreal. And he was an unused substitute as the Yellow Submarine beat Man United to lift last season’s Europa League.

The attraction with Funes Mori is that the 30-year-old can play centre-back, left-back and central midfield – three positions where West Ham need cover.

At 30 years of age, though, he does not necessarily fit Moyes’s Red Bull inspired philosophy of signing young players hungry to prove themselves.

Moyes proved he will sometimes deviate from that if the right player is available with the signing of Dawson last season.

Versatility attractive for West Ham but does ex Toffee fit Moyes’s philosophy?

Football Insider claims Funes Mori is currently a back-up plan if the move for Aguerd does not come off.

The defender only made a total of 16 appearances last season. He is not to be confused – although probably regularly is – with his twin brother Rogelio, who is a striker.

Rogelio has an excellent career goalscoring record with 170 goals in 402 games. Confusingly he chose to represent Mexico after being continuously snubbed for the Argentina national team.

In other West Ham news, video shows West Ham star training hard despite being given extra time off.

And all three of the club’s long-awaited new kits have been leaked on social media.