West Ham United are preparing a £3.5m bid for Cardiff City goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, as reported by Football League World.

What's the story?

The Hammers are in the market for another goalkeeper option in January, with the Cardiff stopper seemingly towards the top of their wanted list.

Cardiff are said to be reluctant to let the 29-year-old leave the club for a minimal fee, as he has played 16 of their Championship games this season, keeping four clean sheets.

However, this has not stopped West Ham preparing a bid for the Philippines international during the winter window.

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Reigniting competition

If this move was to be completed, it could potentially reignite the competition between Etheridge and Lukasz Fabianski.

The Bluebirds goalkeeper will originally be brought in to act as back up for the fan favourite, who won last season's Hammer of the Year award.

However, it is highly unlikely he will be content with fulfilling that role in the long term, considering he played every one of Cardiff's Premier League games last term.

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This would mean that Etheridge could potentially give Fabianski the tightest competition he has had to face since signing for West Ham.

It could also see a previous level of competition between the two goalkeepers reignited from last season when they were the top two goalkeepers in the Premier League for the number of saves made.

Fabianski ended up being the man to top the charts for the 2018/19 campaign, reaching a total of 148 saves made.

Cardiff 'keeper Etheridge was the only one who ran him close, eventually losing out by seven, as Ben Foster was the closest one behind him with 127.

If Etheridge does sign for the Hammers, he will be looking to overtake him, but in a different way entirely to last season.

In other news, West Ham fans have reacted to transfer links with a midfielder.