According to reports from Mirror Football, West Ham are preparing a £1.5million transfer bid for Millwall's highly-rated defender Mahlon Romeo.

Who?

A good question. Romeo - at least, not in Shakespearean terms - is hardly a household name. But the 21-year-old is rapidly establishing himself at The Den, making 16 appearances already this season, and boasts some pedigree, having spent much of his youth career at Arsenal before leaving in 2012 in search of first-team football.

That led to a move to Gillingham, a short loan switch to Dover Athletic and subsequently a transfer to Millwall in summer 2015. He became a regular for the Lions in the second half of last season and has now cemented his place in their starting XI - also picking up seven caps for Antigua and Barbuda in the process.

What's the word, then?

According to Mirror Football, Romeo's increasing importance in South London hasn't gone unnoticed by Millwall's bitter rivals West Ham. Hammers scouts reportedly ran the rule over the full-back during their 2-1 win over Fleetwood last weekend - the third time they've watched him in action so far this season.

Do West Ham need a right-back?

Most definitely. The fact Havard Nordtveit, Sam Byram, Michail Antonio and Alvaro Arbeloa have all played at right-back already this season tells all about how much of a problem position it's become for the Hammers - undoubtedly an underlying influence on them conceding the second-most goals of any Premier League side after whipping-boys-in-waiting, Hull City.

Whether Romeo's ready to come in and fill the void, however, remains another question that only Bilic can truly answer. But the likelihood is that Romeo's being targeted as a long-term addition rather than a quick fix - suggesting a move to the London Stadium could well come at the end of the season rather than January.

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