West Ham United are set to face stern competition in their pursuit of Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill, according to the latest reports.

What's the word?

As per 90min, the Hammers are just one of a number of Premier League clubs who are said to be interested in the 26-year-old, with Southampton the newest side to have joined the race for the Englishman.

Despite that significant interest, however, the report suggests that the Turf Moor outfit are yet to receive an official approach to sign the former Bristol City man, with the player having caught the eye last term despite the Clarets' eventual relegation.

The same publication previously stated back in early May that David Moyes and co were the 'favourites' to land the Warrington-born ace, with his current side believed to be holding out for a fee of around £15m.

Noble heir

The search for a new midfield addition has ramped up for the east Londoners of late, with loanee Alex Kral not set to be signed on a permanent deal, while long-serving skipper Mark Noble has called time on his lengthy playing career.

While the latter man had largely been restricted to a bit-part role in recent seasons - making just three Premier League starts last term - his absence will still leave a sizeable void in Moyes' squad, having been a reliable servant of the club for almost two decades.

Although not a glamourous, high-profile name, the Englishman assumed cult hero status for his longevity and consistency, racking up 547 appearances for the Irons in all competitions, netting 62 goals and providing 61 assists in that time.

His tally of 47 Premier League goals - 28 of which came from the penalty spot - has left him joint-level with Paolo Di Canio in the club's scoring charts, with only current star Michail Antonio (56) having scored more goals in the competition for the London Stadium outfit.

The 35-year-old's impact on the club is no doubt obvious, although GSB could well unearth Noble's perfect heir with a move for the aforementioned Brownhill, with the 5 foot 11 gem - who joined the Lancashire side for £9m in January 2020 - something of an old-school, midfield throwback.

Despite what was a dismal season collectively for his current side, the £6.3m-rated maestro enjoyed a fine individual campaign, netting twice and providing three assists in 35 league games, notably averaging an impressive 2.1 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per 90.

In that latter regard, he also comes out on top among his fellow midfielders in the division with 69 interceptions in total, while he also compares favourably to those in his position across Europe's top five leagues, ranking in the top 13% for the same metric.

Clearly a ball-winning, dynamic asset in the centre of the park, the £45k-per-week playmaker has previously been dubbed a "fabulous" talent by pundit Lee Hendrie, with the former Aston Villa man stating that:

“He’s very energetic, he’s very neat and tidy on the ball, he gets up and down the pitch well and you know what you’re getting when you’re getting a player from Burnley, Sean Dyche, what he expects".

Like Noble, Brownhill may not be a flashy asset, yet his impressive work ethic and keen eye for a goal should make him a perfect fit for Moyes' side.

AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham