West Ham United should turn their attentions to Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, but they would have to offer a hefty figure to land him.

What's the word?

Judging by the reports floating around in the rumour mill, Manuel Pellegrini is on the hunt for a central midfielder in January.

On October 29, Football Insider claimed that the Hammers are pondering a move for Tottenham Hotspur's Victor Wanyama.

However, the club should pursue the more difficult option of trying to prise Doucoure away from Watford.

The 25-year-old is valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, but the Hornets are likely to demand a much bigger fee given that he is a crucial member of the team having played every minute of Premier League action this season.

In addition, the midfielder's contract does not expire until the summer of 2023, which means that Watford are in a strong negotiating position.

Is a deal for West Ham likely?

The club's owners David Gold and David Sullivan are not always flush with the cash during transfer windows.

Plus, they sanctioned the incomings of nine new faces in the summer, therefore they may not be eager to spend big on another addition.

On top of that, The Mirror reports that Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool are all keeping a close eye on Doucoure ahead of a potential swoop.

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With clubs of that stature in the race for the midfielder's signature, it will make it that much harder for West Ham to persuade the Frenchman to move to the London Stadium.

Doucoure would certainly be an asset for Pellegrini as he can play centrally, in a more attacking midfield role or in the holding position.

However, West Ham would have a lot of convincing to do to get a deal over the line.