West Ham United are in talks with Hoffenheim for striker Demba Ba.
West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City remain interested in Ba, 25, but his failure to pass a medical at Stoke has opened the possibility of a loan deal.
Hoffenheim are prepared to allow Ba to move on - and the forward has declared this week he expects to move to England before the market shuts.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis also hasn't given up bringing Ba to the Brit.