West Ham United are in dire need of fortifying the ranks following a woeful start to the current campaign, but they will not find the answer to their problems in Everton's Michael Keane...

What's the talk?

With the opening of the January transfer window, Hammers boss David Moyes is reportedly scouring the market for additions to ail the woes that the club are currently beset with, sitting in 17th place after 17 matches in the Premier League, with just four victories.

The east London outfit have had one eye on Everton's Michael Keane for several months now, and one journalist now claims to be in the lead of the race for the £30m centre-back's signature.

Paul Brown, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, recently gave his thoughts on the deal, saying: “I just think everyone knows that because he’s not getting a game really for Everton, that he could be on the market.

“I think Michael Keane’s decided that he’s going to have to move to get more football, so I think he’s going to go somewhere and West Ham, I would say, are favourites at the moment.”

Johnson 2.0

Owners David Gold and David Sullivan might think that signing someone such as Keane will bolster their depleted defensive forces, but it is a deal that they should steer well clear of, regardless of the finances involved that may sway the opinions of the Irons hierarchy.

Keane indeed arrived on Merseyside in a lucrative deal from Burnley, and went on to make 189 appearances for the Toffees, but his performances across the latter stages of his career left him stranded from the regularity of a starting spot in the first-team.

And now the 29-year-old has played just three competitive games this season, including a miserable 22 minutes in the Premier League.

Should Moyes instigate a move, West Ham might be left with a sense of bitter deja vu, with the signing of Roger Johnson in the 2013/14 season a similar tale of swooping for a player in dire circumstances and praying they could alleviate the issues at the club.

Despite West Ham's injury troubles at the time, Johnson ultimately only went on to play just six times before departing after six months, notably starting in both EFL Cup semi-final legs against Manchester City, losing 6-0 and 3-0.

With Keane at the epicentre of a devastating 4-1 EFL Cup defeat at the hands of AFC Bournemouth this season, there might be grave danger in replicating a deal and using a player lacking both direction and confidence in an attempt to lift the troubles that currently plague the club.

The "pathetic" performances of Keane - as branded by Ryan Taylor - would not help Moyes' Irons one bit, and they should steer well clear, or risk losing a space in the squad to a liability - much like before, with Roger Johnson.