Slaven Bilic must not let Tony Pulis beat him to £12million bargain buy Fabian Delph

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West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic needs to act fast if he is to beat West Bromwich Albion to the signing of Fabian Delph.

Fabian Delph has a galaxy of stars ahead of him at Manchester City

According to The Telegraph, the Manchester City outcast has been made available by Pep Guardiola for £12million.

That’s hardly extortionate by modern day standards for an all-action central midfielder and England player who knows the division.

Delph has barely played in the two years since his £8million move from Aston Villa and his future under Guardiola looks bleak.

The Telegraph claims West Brom and Stoke City have registered an interest in the former Leeds United man who, at 27 years of age, is approaching his peak years.

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic with West Ham United’s Mark Noble as he is substituted

But Delph is exactly what Bilic needs to reinvigorate and strengthen his brittle side after a disappointing second season in East London.

There are serious question marks over Mark Noble’s future as a first team starter and Delph’s power and energy would perfectly complement Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang and Manuel Lanzini.

A box-to-box player Delph has also showed he can provide cover at right back, a position which has been a major problem for West Ham in recent seasons.

Bilic has signed Delph’s former City teammate Pablo Zabaleta to fix that so there would be a friendly face awaiting the midfielder in East London.

West Brom have lost influential midfielder Darren Fletcher to Stoke

With Darren Fletcher leaving the Baggies for Stoke, Delph is probably guaranteed more game time at the Hawthorns than anywhere else this summer.

But West Ham are by far the highest profile of the trio and if he performs well in the claret and blue – and in front of 60,000 fans every other week – he could force his way back into Gareth Southgate’s England plans.

Delph in action for City against Borussia Dortmund

Speculation suggested the signing of Zabaleta would help the Hammers secure the services of prime striker target Kelechi Iheanacho from City this summer.

And Bilic could actually end up strengthening his entire spine with the Etihad club’s cast offs if the Nigerian and Delph are joined by another longstanding Hammers target Joe Hart in East London.