West Ham's Director of Football, Tim Steidten, has reinitiated the pursuit of January signings, using his connections in the Bundesliga. Bayer Leverkusen's defender, Piero Hincapie, has emerged as a potential target, with rumours of his departure from the German club circulating in recent months.

Steidten very much looked like the cat who got the cream as he was pictured alongside Jarrod Bowen. The pair were announcing Bowen's huge new West Ham contract, but now it's back to business for the head of the Hammers recruiting operation.

Tim Steidten is back on the transfer trail

During the summer transfer window, Hincapie was already linked with a move away from the Bundesliga, drawing interest from clubs like Liverpool. However, the Ecuadorian international opted to stay. Recent news reports suggest that West Ham are also expressing interest in the 21-year-old.

Clearly David Moyes would like more defensive reinforcements, and it's clear that Steidten views Hincapie as a viable option. The competition for his signature, especially from clubs like Liverpool, remains a factor though. Securing Hincapie won't come cheap, he's highly regarded Leverkusen won't be keen for Steidten to return to his former club to plunder players.