WEST HAM MANAGER David Moyes is “very hopeful” of signing Darren Randolph despite a delay with the Ireland goalkeeper’s transfer from Middlesbrough.

Concern over Randolph’s thigh injury has temporarily put the brakes on his £4 million move back to the Premier League and his former club.

The 32-year-old has been sidelined by the problem since the end of November, but West Ham remain anxious to complete the deal as soon as he gets the all-clear.

“Darren’s a goalkeeper we’ve identified that we’d like to bring in,” Moyes confirmed in his press conference ahead of Friday evening’s trip to Sheffield United.

“At the moment he’s just carrying a bit of an injury that he’s had for several weeks. We have to make sure that’s completely healed, so that’s where a bit of delay’s come in at this moment in time.

“I’m very hopeful it will happen.”

With Ireland’s Euro 2020 playoff on the horizon in March, Randolph will likely face a fight for first-team action with the Hammers’ current first-choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

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