According to reports in The Sun, West Ham United have joined a number of their Premier League rivals in the race to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford this summer.

Despite the Black Cats finding themselves bottom of the table and in danger of being relegated to the Championship, the stopper has been an outstanding performer for them this season after initially stepping in for the injured Vito Mannone.

The form of the 23-year-old has quickly become one of the most coveted keepers in the top flight, and has been tipped to be a future England regular after receiving his first call up to the Three Lions squad in October.

The likes of Arsenal, Everton, Manchester City and Tottenham are said to have taken a close look at the £15m-rated Pickford, and Irons boss Slaven Bilic has registered his interest too.

Here are FOUR reasons West Ham must win the race for the highly-rated goalkeeper…

New number one

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Adrian started the season as Slaven Bilic’s number one goalkeeper, but following some poor performances and after making a high-profile error against Stoke City, the Spaniard was replaced by Darren Randolph.

The Republic of Ireland international has been an ever-present in the Premier League since November, but even some of his showings have come under scrutiny from Irons supporters in recent times.

While there is no guarantee that Pickford will flourish if he leaves Sunderland, her certainly seems like a good option right now.

His performances

Prior to the clash against Manchester United, Pickford had made an average of 3.95 saves per game in his 21 Premier League appearances for Sunderland this season.

A fantastic showing against Tottenham Hotspur in September will be remembered as he kept the score down at 1-0 with a number of fine saves, while he pulled off two spectacular stops against Bournemouth and Everton too earlier in the campaign.

With brilliant reflexes and a command of his area, the 23-year-old really does look destined for the top.

He’s British

With players such as Simone Zaza, Jonathan Calleri and Arthur Masuaku struggling to adapt after moving to the Premier League for the first time last summer, some Irons supporters may be hoping that the club looks to bring in some more British players to add to their core following a disappointing season for the club.

West Ham were known as a hot bed for English talent when they had the likes of Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand, but it is an identity they have lost in recent years – mainly because of the increasing price tags – but bringing in a promising talent like Pickford can go some way to changing that.

Price tag

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Sunderland's Jordan Pickford concedes Southampton's first goal scored by Sofiane Boufal
Reuters / Hannah McKay
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While we mentioned previously about the inflated prices for British players, the reports suggest that the 23-year-old could be available for around £15m if Sunderland are relegated at the end of the season.

It may seem like a high amount for a player who has made less than 25 Premier League appearances in his career, but in the modern day of transfer fees it actually isn’t.

The Irons board will know that Pickford could easily go on to be the club’s first-choice stopper for at least the next ten years because of his age, and as a result it would be great value for money.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below...