West Ham United continue to be linked with Genoa defender Armando Izzo.

According to Italian newspaper Secolo XIX, talks are expected over the future of Genoa defender Armando Izzo later today, with West Ham United set to ramp up their interest.

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The Hammers have tied up two signings already this week in Swansea City goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and Toulouse defender Issa Diop, but more arrivals are expected.

Another central defender is on Manuel Pellegrini’s radar even after signing Diop, and one name mentioned in recent weeks has been Genoa’s Armando Izzo.

Now, Italian newspaper Secolo XIX report that West Ham are ramping up their interest in Izzo, and further talks about a potential deal are expected today, with a fee of €14million (£12million) mentioned.

It’s noted that Izzo’s agent Paolo Palermo is now working with Kia Joorabchian – the man who controversially brought Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez to West Ham in 2006 – and the Iranian agent is involved in the Izzo move too.

That is particularly interesting given that Joorabchian is also involved in West Ham’s big-money move for Lazio winger Felipe Anderson, working alongside another Italian agent in Giuliano Bertolucci, as reported by Calciomercato.

Izzo, 26, has impressed with Genoa since a 2014 move from Avellino, and the 6ft defender may now be heading to England as a potential partner of Diop in the heart of the West Ham back line.

Yesterday, BBC Sport reported that talks over a deal for West Ham’s top centre back target, Swansea City’s Alfie Mawson, were showing ‘little progress’, and the renewed talk of a move for Izzo may just hint that the Hammers are lining up alternatives as they consider two deals involving Joorabchian.

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