Championship pair West Ham United and Southampton could be set to test Swansea City's resolve by launching January moves for New Zealand star Marko Stamenic.
According to the Swansea Independent, the 24-year-old has shot himself to the top of both clubs' winter hitlists as they bid to add further quality to their squads as they seek a Premier League return.
Stamenic has established himself as a mainstay in the Swans starting line-up since joining from Nottingham Forest for around £2 million in August 2025, making 53 appearances in all competitions.
The tenacious and technical central midfielder has featured 18 times this term and has played an instrumental role in the Welsh club establishing themselves in the promotion picture.
News of both clubs' reported interest comes as something of a surprise given there appears to be no immediate need for either to target midfield reinforcements.
However, with new Hammers boss Scott Parker eager to put his own stamp on things at the London Stadium, he could well look to offload one or two high-earners in the new year to fund fresh incomings.
West Ham spent heavily to lure Celtic's Arne Engels to the capital in the summer, whilst they also have the likes of James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez battling for regular starting berths in the center of the pitch.
Southampton's apparent interest comes as slightly less of a surprise though given they were linked with a move for the highly-regarded Kiwi during pre-season.
While a move failed to materialise, it's understood Saints boss Tonda Eckert has kept a close watch on Stamenic this season, and could be ready to launch a move for him as soon as the window reopens on January 1.
Given Swansea are riding high in the Championship themselves though, they will likely be keen to retain hold of one of their prized assets, who would likely command a fee far in excess of the £2 million the club splashed out for him 15 months ago.
