Everton plotting moves for Chelsea's Baba Rahman and Augsburg defender Daniel Opare

Everton are reportedly pursuing moves for Chelsea defender Baba Rahman and Augsburg defender Daniel Opare, who is also attracting interest from relegation battlers West Ham United ahead of the January transfer window.

Despite spending close to £150m (€170m) in the summer transfer window there are gaping holes in the Toffees' first-team that need to be rectified by new manager Sam Allardyce in the January transfer window. Allardyce admitted that bringing in a centre-forward is his priority next month, but the former England manager also revealed that he is on the hunt for a new left-back as well as a centre-half.

Everton have been without Seamus Coleman for the whole of the current campaign and are now without Baines, who suffered a calf injury in the recent defeat against Southampton. Cuco Martina and Jonjoe Kenny have attempted to fill the voids left by their esteemed teammates, and both turned in solid performances in wins against West Ham and Huddersfield Town.

Despite the recent encouragement offered by Martina and Kenny, Everton are still very much on the lookout for defensive cover and have registered their desire to take Chelsea's Rahman on loan until the end of the season, according to the Daily Mail.

Rahman is working his way back to full fitness after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury earlier this year. The Ghanaian, who joined Chelsea in the summer of 2015 for £14m, is not part of Antonio Conte's plans at Stamford Bridge and will be free to leave West London in January, with Everton, Monaco and former club Schalke all interested in the 23-year-old's services.

Rahman is not the only full-back on Everton's radar, with Augsburg's Opare firmly under consideration by the powers that be. The 27-year-old Ghana international has refused a new deal with the German outfit, who are open to cashing in during the winter rather than losing him for nothing in the summer.

Opare is believed to be available for a paltry £3m in January but Everton may face competition for the defender's signature with West Ham, Swansea City and Stoke City all keeping tabs on the former Standard Liege star.

David Moyes' men signed Pablo Zabaleta in the summer and snaffled Sam Byram from under Everton's nose a couple of seasons ago, and they may prove to be stiff opposition for Opare's signature purely because of their location; Dimitri Payet and Angelo Ogbonna both opted for the Hammers over the Blues for that very reason a couple of years ago.