West Ham transfer target Rav van den Berg could be allowed to leave FC Koln in January, according to the club's sporting manager.
After something of a stumbling start on their return to the second tier West Ham have returned to form in recent weeks and are unbeaten in their last eight Championship games.
A 1-0 win over fellow high-flyers Swansea City on Saturday saw the Hammers move to within one point of the Welsh side at the top of the table.
As they look towards an immediate return to the Premier League Nuno Espirito Santo's side have been linked with a number of potential new signings when the transfer window reopens in January.
Chief among them is said to be Dutch defender Van den Berg.
The Netherlands youth international is no stranger to English football having spent two years with Middlesbrough, and is the younger brother of Brentford's Sepp van den Berg.
Departing the Riverside in the summer of 2025, Van den Berg joined Bundesliga side FC Koln in a deal said to be worth in excess of £11million including add-ons.
However, the 22-year-old has since found first team opportunities hard to come by at the RheinEnergieStadion, and is yet to feature this season under new manager Rene Wagner.
Speaking this week FC Koln managing director Thomas Kessler admitted Van den Berg could be allowed to leave the club in January.
"If there is no fundamental change in his sporting situation by the winter break, we will of course sit down with him and his agency and have an open discussion about which path forward makes the most sense for everyone involved." Kessler told Bild.
Van den Berg still has over three years remaining on the long-term contract he signed upon joining FC Koln in 2025.
In addition to his favoured position in the heart of the defence, he can also deputise at right-back - something he was forced to do repeatedly in 2023/24 for Middlesbrough when Anfernee Dijksteel was sidelined through injury.
