West Ham fear that they could miss out on a deal to sign New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long this summer.
According to Sky Sports News, the Hammers are keen to bring in the player but believe that he will not be able to get a work permit in order to complete a move.
Long is highly rated in the MLS and has recently been offered to the Premier League club off the back of some impressive performances.
The defender has a £4 million release clause in his current deal with the MLS side and could prove to be a bargain signing.
Long is a US international and has 11 caps to his name. He was also part of the squad that recently made it to the Gold Cup final over the summer, but there are still concerns about his ability to secure a work permit.
French trio Marseille, Rennes and Lyon are also said to be in the running to sign the defender.
