West Ham are rivaling Chelsea for Torino defender Nikola Maksimovic.

The Sun says according to reports in Italy, the Hammers have made contact with the Turin club over a move for the wantaway 24-year-old Serbia international – who is also wanted by Chelsea.

Maksimovic has four years left in his current deal but is hoping to force through a move to the Premier League and has skipped training in recent days.

His boss Sinisa Mihajlovic is furious with the player who he handed an international debut to in 2012, describing the player's actions as a betrayal.