West Ham United are hopeful of beating Sunderland to the signature of their on-loan defender, Marcos Alonso, according to the Chronicle.
Alonso, 23, spent the second half of last season on loan at the Stadium of Light from Fiorentina, impressing as the Black Cats avoided relegation and reached the League Cup final.
The Spaniard, who began his career at Real Madrid, is wanted permanently by Gus Poyet but West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is also keen on snaring the Madrid-born left-back.
Alonso spent three seasons in England with Bolton Wanderers between 2010 and 2013 but was never a regular at the Reebok Stadium, only featuring more frequently following relegation to the Championship.
In the 2013 January transfer window, Alonso moved to Italy but has made just one Serie A start for Fiorentina since.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here