West Ham transfer news: Hammers interested in Bayer Leverkusen defender Philipp Wollscheid

6ft 4in centre-back has two caps for Germany

West Ham are interested in Bayer Leverkusen defender Philipp Wollscheid (Getty Images)

West Ham are chasing a deal for giant Bayer Leverkusen defender Philipp Wollscheid.

The centre-back, 25, has two caps for Germany and started 17 times for Leverkusen last season as they finished fourth in the Bundesliga.

Standing at over 6ft 4in, Wollscheid has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs this summer, including Hull City and Southampton - but those two are now focused on other targets leaving the door open for West Ham.

Hull are set to sign Michael Dawson from Spurs while Southampton want Toby Alderweireld from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.

Wollscheid was much more of a fixture in the Leverkusen team a season earlier, when he played 31 Bundesliga matches, but was moved down the pecking order after the arrival of Emir Spahic.