Ipswich Town and West Ham United eye late transfer swoop for experienced Hull City star | OneFootball

Ipswich Town and West Ham United are both interested in signing Hull City defender John Egan before the transfer window closes on Monday evening.

Ipswich Town and West Ham United have both eyed one of Hull City's major assets ahead of a potential late swoop in the winter transfer window.

The Tigers have been performing well in the Championship, and are just five points adrift of the automatic promotion spots after beating Blackburn Rovers 1-0 on Saturday.

Ipswich have slipped to fourth after failing to win their last two games, losing 3-1 at Sheffield United before drawing 1-1 with Preston North End this past weekend.

Meanwhile, West Ham are vying to strengthen their squad to ensure that they avoid being relegated from the Premier League and returning to the Championship for the first time since 2012.

Hull City defender John Egan eyed by Ipswich Town and West Ham United

Hull previously struggled defensively this term, which was holding back their promotion credentials under Sergej Jakirovic.

However, the Tigers have now maintained two clean sheets in four consecutive Championship wins, and John Egan has played a central role in those efforts.

According to talkSPORT's Alex Crook via X, the experienced Republic of Ireland international centre-back has attracted transfer interest from second tier rivals Ipswich, as well as a surprise approach from Premier League strugglers West Ham.

The Tigers boast a game in hand on Championship league leaders Coventry City and second-place Middlesbrough, and will hope to retain the 33-year-old's services to keep their automatic promotion credentials intact.

Egan has formed a solid partnership at the back with Charlie Hughes in-front of goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, and it appears that the hierarchy's resolve may be tested when it comes to trying to keep the Irishman at the MKM Stadium.

John Egan would be best served by staying with Hull City

Transfer interest in Egan from both Ipswich and West Ham epitomises how well he has performed for the Tigers this campaign, playing a key role in their increasingly impressive form.

However, the former Sheffield United man would be best served by staying with Hull, where he is excelling, and he may not be afforded the same opportunities and game-time elsewhere that he is currently getting.

Egan has well and truly put fitness struggles from his later days at Sheffield United in the past, and is showing why he was a solid Championship and Premier League defender for the Blades, but it's hard to see him usurping the defenders that Ipswich and West Ham have on their books.

Sergej Jakirovic's men will rightly feel that they have just as much of a chance as Ipswich of booking their place in next season's Premier League, while they sit two points clear of the Tractor Boys, and they need to keep Egan if they want a chance of securing it.