West Ham United could already have their replacement for Craig Dawson lined up…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Adam Leventhal and Roshane Thomas, who combine in an article for The Athletic to confirm the Hammers’ interest in Amiens SC defender Formose Mendy.

This news comes just days after Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly reignited their interest in Craig Dawson, who nearly made the move to Molineux in the summer.

With the Senegalese centre-back, it is believed that exploratory talks have taken place after having a £7m bid rejected. The French club value the 22-year-old much higher, given how instrumental he has been in their success this season.

Time to ditch Dawson

Although he has been nothing but a reliable stalwart for the club, now does seem like the right time to allow Dawson to move on.

It was expected he would leave in the summer, but injuries and failed transfers forced manager David Moyes to hold onto the 32-year-old for a little while longer.

Now, already looking for his replacement, the man who has featured 87 times at the London Stadium will likely be granted his wish to exit.

He has been nothing but instrumental in the resurgence of the Irons under the Scotsman, who led them to European football in consecutive seasons.

Now, it seems he is keen to take them in a new direction, built around youth and the deep talent pool in lesser-known European leagues.

Mendy has featured 16 times this season for his club who sit fifth in Ligue 2, having earned praise for his displays at the back.

He is averaging a 7.47 rating for the campaign so far, where he outlines his defensive credentials with 2.6 interceptions, 3.1 tackles and 2.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

The 6 foot 3 titan truly is the “complete & dominant” force that talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed him as.

This already marks an increase in Dawson’s output from this season, as he only averages 0.8 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and 3.3 clearances per game, also per Sofascore.

Not to mention Mendy is a keen ball player and can progress the play with his 62% dribble success rate and 83% pass accuracy per outing.

He could be a truly outstanding centre-back for West Ham for the foreseeable future, with youth and talent in abundance. His introduction could have fans quickly forgetting about the potential exit of a cult hero.