In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, ex-West Ham striker Frank McAvennie has urged his former team to go all out in their attempts to sign Craig Dawson permanently this summer.

The experienced defender, who's currently on loan at the London Stadium for the rest of the campaign from Watford, made a slow start to life in the capital, but has been one of the Hammers' standout players in recent weeks.

Dawson wasn't involved in any of West Ham's first 11 Premier League games following his arrival, but since breaking into the team and replacing the injured Fabian Balbuena, the on-loan centre-back has ever-present in the league, playing a major part in David Moyes' team pushing towards Europe.

With Dawson in the side, West Ham have kept six clean sheets in 13 matches, with the on-loan Hornets man adding three goals which have helped his team suffer just three Premier League defeats since Christmas.

And McAvennie has praised the 30-year-old for transforming a Hammers defence that had managed just four shut outs prior to his inclusion.

He told Football FanCast: "The biggest thing for me with West Ham is the defence, it's solid.

"The biggest signing they will make is Dawson. They have got to get that boy's name on the paper, he's been outstanding.

"For £3million for a centre-half like that, he complements the other defenders because the other defenders want to play football and look good, and he just puts his body on the line, gets in front and it's good balance for the team. That's the biggest signing that I think will happen this year."