With most of West Ham’s coming defensively, that is likely to be the area of the squad they target the most in the summer, regardless of the decision they find themselves in.

And a report from Spanish outlet Fichajes states that they remain keen on signing Mingueza from Celta Vigo, with several other Premier League clubs having been mooted with an interest.

However, for the Irons, it’s claimed that retaining their Premier League status is seen as a “non-negotiable condition” to bring him to the London Stadium, and given the fact that he is a Spanish international, that comes as no surprise.

The report adds that Celta Vigo are resigned to his exit in the summer, with the defender having impressed consistently in LaLiga.

And if the Hammers were to secure their status in the top flight and succeed in their attempts to sign Mingueza, it would be a major defensive improvement, as showcased by his Sofascore graphic below.

The main reason Oscar Mingueza would be an elite signing for West Ham

First and foremost, Mingueza is a much better defender than any of the current options Nuno Espirito Santo has at his disposal.

With a 62.5 per cent aerial duel win rate, he’s very dominant in the air, but he is just as good with the ball at his feet, as showcased by his 83.1 per cent passing accuracy as well as his 1.45 key passes per game.

But for West Ham, one of the biggest draws would be his versatility.

Mingueza has most commonly played as a centre-back, but throughout his time in Spain, he has played at right-back, left-back, and as a right midfielder.

• Centre-back – 86 appearances
• Right-back – 75 appearances
• Right midfield – 33 appearances
• Left-back – 22 appearances

And for any manager, that is an excellent thing to have in a player, knowing that he can cover several different options without losing any real influence.

It goes without saying that it would be an excellent addition for the Irons, though it would have a negative effect on one player in particular.

What would this mean for Max Kilman?

We could sit here for hours and name the players that have underperformed this season, but at the very top of the list would be Max Kilman.

Without sugarcoating it, Kilman has been an utter liability from the first game, and had he been replaced earlier in the campaign, there’s every chance that West Ham wouldn’t be as deep into a relegation battle as they are now.

The winter arrival of Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea has seen him dropped to the bench, with zero minutes played since then.

And given the fact that Mingueza would be an even bigger upgrade on Disasi, it would almost certainly spell the end for Kilman’s time at the London Stadium, though that has been long overdue.

If you want more West Ham content, check out Football Insider for the latest from Nuno’s side.