West Ham have easily exceeded their Premier League expectations so far, currently sitting three points clear in the fourth Champions League spot in the table.
Despite a dodgy loss against Wolves at the weekend, David Moyes will be hoping to continue their outstanding league form and importantly, their form in the Europa League, where they are yet to lose a game.
Moyes has been dealt a few injury issues over the season so far, with Nikola Vlasic and Andriy Yarmolenko still unavailable, but most recently losing Angelo Ogbonna to a devastating ACL injury that was operated on a few days ago.
With the team spreading thin in both the attack and defensive lines, Moyes cannot afford to miss out on reinvestment into new players to add to the team in the upcoming winter transfer window. By not making important signings in key areas, Moyes could send the side into an injury crisis that will burden the Hammers to choose between chasing Europa League success or a top-four finish.
One player that has been on the club's radar for a while is established Premier League defender, James Tarkowski.
The £22.5m-rated titan already plays in the league with Burnley, but with the opportunity to escape constant relegation battles with his current club to get a move to a club with big chances in European football and top half league domination, it should be a no brainer for the defender to join West Ham.
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The Hammers were said to be interested in the Burnley defender back in the summer but decided against the signing. However, thanks to Moyes' impressive management of the West Ham side as it stands, he can now offer a more attractive position to the 26-year-old, especially with the recent horrific injury to Ogbonna.
If Tarkowski did join the East London club, he would have the opportunity to form a centre back partnership with fan favourite, Kurt Zouma, who has had a fantastic impact on the team since joining the side in the summer from Chelsea.
Zouma has made his presence known quickly in the West Ham side with nine appearances, and even scored his first goal for the side against title-challenging giants, Liverpool, a few weeks ago, and will now look to lead the defensive line in the absence of their Italian colossus.
West Ham will need to make sure they are fully covered going into the second half of the season, and cannot afford to lose anymore key players in positions of importance going into their Europa League challenge and their fourth-place battle with the likes of Arsenal.
Signing Tarkowski or someone of his calibre, therefore, is hugely important. His Premier League experience, something Craig Dawson has proven, would be key to the Irons' chances for the rest of the campaign.
In other news: Jesse Lingard requests West Ham return this January